Union protests manhandling of members by police

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo, Lagos

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) says there will no
retreat, no surrender in its quest to get justice for its members in Caverton Helicopters Limited.

Members of its branch who embarked on a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the company to press home for the payment of their benefits after disengagement from the company were arrested and beaten on Monday by men of the Lagos state Rapid Response Squad alleged to have been sent by the management to disperse them.

Narrating what happened, Chairman of the Caverton branch of NUATE, Comrade Tony Ibibe, who had a bandage wrapped around his head and hand said, the armed policemen arrived in eight trucks and inquired as to why they were gathering at the company’s premises.

An hour later, they returned in six trucks and a black Maria and started manhandling the peaceful protesters.

According to him, he was beaten while struggling to stop them from pushing him into the black Maria van along with nine others who were forced into the van.

“In the process they hit me on the head and my legs and they took my phone, keys, one leg of my shoe, face cap, money, wallet and sound system,” Ibibe added.

According to him, the helicopter firm on February 7, disengaged them, instructing them to drop all company property with them by March 29 as their services were no longer required and promised that their entitlements would be paid by March 31.

“Till date, they have not paid in full, some people were not paid, some people were paid, those that were paid was half payment, they short pay them, the calculations were wrong, no breakdown, they did not follow the terms of agreement, a lot of letters have been sent to them no response,

we decided to picket the company, we followed due process in the picketing, all protocol was observed and the police area commander was aware of the picketing,” he said.

It was gathered that after a meeting yesterday with the Caverton management, the union and the ministry of labour, the management appealed they should be given six months to pay the disengaged workers.

As at the time of this report, the nine members arrested have been released.