By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

Staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and the leadership of the leading unions in the aviation sector; the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, on last week threatened to down tools if their requests are not met by June 30, 2014.

The workers defiled the Thursday last week’s early morning downpour to stage a congress in the open at the Freedom Square of the agency, demanding the implementation of various approved agreements between it and the management.

Some of the demands of the workers included: the immediate payment of pensions and gratuities to staff, payment of 27 per cent balance minimum wage, proper placement of all newly recruited staff in accordance with the civil service rules and scheme of service, 2013 and 2014 implementation of promotion of staff and renewed condition of service for workers.

Reacting, the spokesman of FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati said most of the demands of the workers would soon be met. He noted that the current Managing Director, FAAN, Engr. Dunoma Saleh was part and parcel of the unions and would do everything humanly possible to ensure that their welfare are taken care of. He informed that the management would in the next couple of days meet with the unions and device means of meeting some of their demands.

He said, “We are partners in progress with the unions and the Managing Director of FAAN has been part and parcel of the unions in the past three decades. He has been in the system for over 30 years and probably that was why immediately he resumed office, he held a meeting with the unions.