Management of Bi-courtney Aviation Services, BASL, manager of the Murtala Mohammed Airport Terminal Two, MMA2 has laid-off 34 of its staff without entitlements.
The affected personnel were earlier told to go for a 10 days “leave of absence”, with a guarantee that all their entitlements would not be tampered with.
Their labour union, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, said, “On the 14 of this month, management called out 37 names, out of which 34 were our members and gave them forced 10 days A day after the 10th day, that was friday (28 of Oct.) Management gave all of them, including our branch chairman, branch secretary, branch treasurer and branch women leader termination letters”.
The union stated that, for some time now they have been discussing with the Management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited on the issues of lack of will to implement the conditions of service they signed with the union in 2021 and the frivolous termination of their members, willful intimidation among others.
In a statement, BASL says, it has not ran afoul of the law and has strictly complied with all laws of Nigeria regarding issuance of compulsory ten days leave of absence to branch executive officers and members of its union in BASL.
The management explained that in 15 years of operations, they have always paid salaries as and when due at the end of every month.
“We have paid all allowances as and when they fell due. We have made our statutory pension contribution to the retirement saving accounts of our workers without fail. We have the health insurance scheme for our workers and their family member and we have always paid premium as and when it is due. We also have a life insurance scheme for our
employees”.
“During the prevalence of COVID-19 when all businesses were shut down, we paid a substantial percentage of salaries to our staff during the lockdown. As soon as lockdown eased, we paid the balance of salaries to all our staff. We were informed that we were probably the only organization in the aviation industry that extended this gesture to
its staff during COVID-19”.
The company further disclosed that they executed a new condition of service on June 16, 2021, adding that through the negotiations of the conditions of service, the union insisted that the document will be implemented to the letter without an iota of discretion.
BASL noted that even in the letter of the union dated September 17, 2022, the union stated that both parties are bound by the signed document.
“We totally agree with the position and are bound by the signed document. The document was signed on June 16, 2021 and in accordance with the law of the land and became effective on June 16, 2021. Going forward, we will pay the terminal benefits as provided in the
agreement from that day”.
The company further disclosed that it had presented the letter of appeal to the Board of the company with the Board coming to a conclusion that going outside the agreement signed with the
Association would be unlawful.
“It may expose us to litigation from stakeholders in the venture. The Board has warned against making payments that are not within the law of the land. We continue to be available to work harmoniously towards creating a conducive atmosphere between the Board, management and members of staff”.
