Unions Up in Arms against Airlines over Expatriate Quota

Labour unions and associations in the aviation sector in Nigeria have vowed for a showdown with airlines over abuse of expatriate quota.

They are also threatening to deal with indigenous airlines which disallow their staff from joining the unions/associations of their choice in the sector.

Speaking during the 13th National Delegate Conference and Symposium in Abuja, recently, Engineer Isaac Balami, president of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) argued that such tactic was an avenue to permanently enslave their workers and their freedom of association as guaranteed by the constitution of the country.

Balami bemoaned that the sector presently has been crowded by foreigners while its locals are either thrown out of jobs or unemployed.

He observed that use of expatriates have further drained the resources of the sector while foreign maintenance organisations is gradually taking a centre stage in the industry even when the country has local capacity in that area.

Balami noted that jets and helicopters are being flown and maintained up to C and D-checks by Nigerian pilots and engineers in Aero, PAAN, Bristow and Caverton Helicopters among others.

Balami said, "What is more, we observe huge resources are being expended on the use of expensive expatriates and foreign maintenance organisations. That is why there is no basis whatsoever for investors to use Nigeria's money to support the economics of other countries through bogey expatriate deals.

"Abuse in expatriate quota regime means that there are Nigerian pilots and engineers roaming the streets because foreigners have taken the jobs they are qualified to do. There are huge disparities between salaries paid to Nigerians and those paid to foreigners, which makes Nigerian pilots and engineers second class in their own country."

The NAAPE President informed that the unions were already perfecting plans to picket airlines that prevented their workers from joining union activities, saying that there is no going back on this.