Unions, NAHCO on war path over MD’s ‘fat salary’

…Seek review of expired workers’ condition of service
…Nobody is feeding fat on the company’s money- NAHCO
Unions in the aviation industry have accused the Managing Director, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (NAHCOaviance), Mr Idris Yakubu, of collecting triple the amount of salary collected by his predecessor.

The unions are Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).

The NAHCOaviance boss was also accused of employing people from his tribe into managerial positions and other positions that does not exist in the Organogram of the company.

General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, said the workers were unhappy with this development despite the many calls on the Management to review the conditions of service of the workers which had expired for over four years now.

He said for several months the proposal for the conditions of service review had not been answered neither had the unions gotten any response from the Management, adding that rather than respond to the proposal, the management had been playing games.

Abioye further alleged that so much money was being shared by the top management staff of the company at the expense of those generating the revenue.

He said, “The conditions of NAHCO has to be reviewed or completed in the next 14 days, failing which there will be closure of

“In all sincerity, there has been no dialogue, we have had only one meeting since we submitted our conditions of service proposal to them, and that one meeting was just as it was forced on them because they never even wanted to talk to the union, it was because we told them there would be industrial crisis in NAHCO, that was why we were hurriedly invited to that meeting”.

Abioye said the management was insensitive to the plight and well-being of the workers, saying that,” when the Oyinbo man left, Mr. Norbert, they brought in a Nigerian which we applauded, the salary that the new MD is collecting will wow anybody.

In this company that is said not to be making any profits, it will shock you at the humongous salary this MD is taking home. The humongous amount of money is three times what the immediate past MD was taking home”.

The NUATE’s General Secretary further alleged that the promotions of the staff of the company have been stagnated as people were employed to take managerial positions.

“He has disrupted and bastardised the Organogram by his bringing in people from outside to come and take positions that did not even exist on the structure.

He left from the bank, a brilliant man for that matter, a gentleman and he came in here and started playing politics of tribe.

He started gathering people from his tribe, instigating and inciting them even against the workers and the unions, we feel very, very sad about this development,” Abisoye added.

Also speaking, the Deputy National President, ATSSSAN, Comrade Emmanuel Jaja, insisted that if the company was making so much profits, why would the workers not be allowed to benefit and do more for the company.

He said the presence of the union leaders and members at the NAHCO headquarters on Thursday morning was to notify the Management of NAHCO of what the unions intended to do if the staff welfare were not given the needed attention they deserved.

“For many years now, the conditions of service expired, the management is using delay tactics not to get it done and we are not going to accept that. As a worker, whatever holds you in the place you are working is the condition of service, we need to fight and make sure that we get the management to start it and get it done,” he added

Responding to the allegations by the unions, Head, Public Affairs, NAHCOaviance, Mr. Tayo Ajakaiye, said the management was still talking to the unions and that discussions were still ongoing.

He said, “It is an ongoing process, there might be delay definitely it’s something that will be get done”.

On the employment of people into managerial cadre, Ajakaiye explained that those employed were working directly with the MD because it was part of the contract signed with him.

He said, “The MD contract allows him to also employ some people to work with him, these are the things contained in the contract. Is like you employ a coach for Super Eagles and you are given the target and off course, he would need two or three people to work with him to achieve that target, those are the facts and terms of the contract which he agreed to,” he added.

He, however, noted that nobody was feeding fat on the company’s money.