By Lawani Mikairu

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers , NAAPE, has called off its industrial action against  Bristow Helicopters, and Caverton Helicopters .

General Secretary of NAAPE, Comrade Aba Ocheme, who confirmed the development, said: “We have signed an agreement with the management of Caverton, and the strike has been called off. For Bristow, we will still be meeting with the management today, to iron out some issues affecting our members. But in the interim, we have directed our members to resume at their duty posts so that operations can continue, ” he said.

Recall that Bristow and Caverton Helicopters  operations were  last week grounded by NAAPE members protesting perceived unfair and discriminating labour practice by the two companies. NAAPE had asked all its members to withdrawn their services to the firm.

Also, all affiliates of  United Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, in solidarity with NAAPE, including Nigeria Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, agreed to withdraw all services rendered by companies particularly supply of aviation fuel.

Reacting to the closure of their operations, the management of Bristow Helicopters  had said the union’s industrial action commenced without due notification to Bristow and that is a  violation of the relevant labour laws.

According to Mr  Abednego Galadima, President, NAAPE, the  shut Bristow Group would be indefinite until all the issues in contention had been equitably resolved.

Recall that Bristow and NAAPE have been in a frosty relationship for over four years now. Within this period, not a single labour issue has been completely resolved.   “Not even several interventions by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Federal Ministry of Interior, and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,NCAA, have succeeded in resolving any of the issues.

We consider this shameful situation to be a sad and sorry tale of failure of industrial relations by both parties”, Galadima revealed.

He said some of these perennial disagreements with the management of Bristow Group include:  Marginalisation of National Pilots and Engineers and Expatriate Quota Abuse.

According to him, in the “Bristow Group  eighteen (18) national engineers who obtained their Diplomas  and Licenses over four (4) years ago have remained without Type   Rating contrary  to the subsisting Conditions of Service. Similarly, the fate of thirteen (13) other engineers who obtained their Diplomas and Licenses over one year ago remains    in limbo. These engineers ought to, by now, be at the level of Engr. 3 if they had been properly designated asTrainee Engineers at entry in accordance with the CoS”.

Engineers and Expatriate Quota Abuse. According to him, in the “Bristow Group  eighteen (18) national engineers who obtained their Diplomas  and Licenses over four (4) years ago have remained without

Type   Rating contrary  to the subsisting Conditions of Service. Similarly, the     fate of thirteen (13) other engineers who obtained their Diplomas and Licenses over one year ago remains    in   limbo. These engineers ought to, by      now, be at the level of Engr. 3 if they had  been properly designated as      Trainee Engineers at entry in accordance with the     CoS”.