Union to picket Virgin Atlantic over sack of 20 Nigerian workers

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) on Tuesday threatened to picket Virgin Atlantic Airline within the next 15 days over last year’s sack of 20 Nigerian workers.

NUATE’s Assistant General Secretary, Olayinka Abioye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

The airline had in November 2015 laid–off its cabin crew comprising of 20 Nigerians.

The workers, however, had dragged the airline to the Federal High Court in Lagos over their disengagement, alleging that it violated extant labour laws in the country.

“Irrespective of what the individuals or a group has done by taking judicial action, that does not stop the union from playing its role in the matter.

“As from next week, we are putting machinery in motion to go and picket Virgin Atlantic Airline.

“This will send a strong message to Richard Brandson that Nigeria of 2009 is not the Nigeria of 2016.

“As a pointer to other employers of labour in the aviation sector, we are going to picket Virgin Atlantic Airline in the next 15 days, so they should go and prepare,” Abioye said.

Abioye said that the affected workers were recruited by a company called Aviation Logistics and Management Limited and outsourced to the airline.

He said: “Coincidentally, that company has a relationship with NUATE.

– NAN

Credit: news24