Just in: Arik Air, striking workers reach truce, resumes normal flights operations
Relief has returned to the nation’s aviation following the cessation of hostilities few hours ago today, (Wednesday) as Arik airline has resumed flights following a deal to end the one-day strike.
The action had paralysed its operation between Tuesday and early Wednesday.
Business Hilights recalls that a consortium of Aviation unions called the strike on Tuesday to protest non-payment of seven months of salaries to Arik workers, non-remittance of taxes and the sacking of five union leaders.
The strike collapsed hundreds of local and foreign passengers were stranded due to the stoppage as other airlines cashed in on the crisis to shut up their airfares.
In a brief statement Wednesday, Arik said the dispute had been resolved “following the meeting called by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to address the airline and the aviation unions.”
It added that in order to cushion the huge number of backlog of scheduled flights, it has provided bigger planes to cope with the passengers whose flights were affected by the strike.
Union leader Tokuboh Korodo told reporters the strike had been suspended.
He said “We met the management of Arik last night and they agreed to pay the arrears of salaries by December 31,” Korodo said.
He said the airline also agreed to recall the five union leaders that were sacked.
“If Arik refuses to honour the deal by December 31, we will resume the strike,” he warned.
Arik, Nigeria’s leading carrier, is responsible for 60 percent of flights with an international network that includes Johannesburg and New York.
