Flight Disruptions Begin Across Nigerian Airports As Union Orders Workers To Begin Strike Tonight
- Members of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) are set to embark on an indefinite strike
- The workers listed out several grievances they have with the management, and how past efforts to resolve them failed
- While there is no official statement about flights for the next few days, flight operations cannot be done safely without NIMET staff
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There is about to be another series of flight disruptions across Nigerian airports as workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) have commenced an indefinite strike today, Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
The group said the strike resulted from several failed agreements and unmet demands by the NIMET management.
The issues mostly revolve around remuneration, and a letter jointly signed by the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, the Union of Air Transport Employees, and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical, and Recreational Services Employees, stated that the agency management had refused to honor the collective bargaining agreements.
Source: Getty Images
Airport workers start strike, as ultimatum expires
The strike also follows the expiration of an earlier issued ultimatum, which expired on April 16, 2025, which the management also defied by refusing to acquiesce to the workers' demands.
According to the PUNCH, the workers complained of the unjust remunerations that had caused them untold hardship, and expressed frustration over the management’s refusal to implement a partial agreement already reached on January 28, 2025.
The letter read;
“You are equally aware that the agreement between the management and our unions since 28th January 2025 towards partial amelioration of the above-stated condition has been honored largely only in the breach.”
Their complaints highlight the disparity between their remunerations and peers in the industry, among other concerns.
The workers noted that the refusal of the management to honor their agreement gave them no choice but to embark on industrial action.
Their words in the letter;
“In the light of management’s inability to address our given grave concerns, and being that we can no longer continue to cope with present hardships (given the huge disparity in remunerations with our peers), and especially as the ultimatum given to the Management has expired, we have no choice than to resume the suspended strike.”
The letter also stated that management had withheld important documents, ignored their request to include omitted staff in past payments, and neglected key staff training programmes, opting for executive retreats instead.
They added that NIMET had refused to negotiate or implement agreed financial allowances, wages, and outstanding payments dating back to the 2019 minimum wage.
Flight cancellation looms as strike commences at midnight
The group directed all NIMET staff to withdraw their services from midnight of Tuesday, April 22, 2025, and maintain it indefinitely until a contrary directive is issued.
The union's state councils will also mobilise aviation workers to offer their solidarity to NIMET by ensuring full compliance with the directive.
While NIMET staff are not directly responsible for flying aircraft in and out of the airports, they play a critical support role to ensure the safety and efficiency of aviation operations.
NIMET staff provide real-time weather updates about wind speed, temperature, visibility, cloud cover, etc, during pre-flight briefings with the pilots.
They also predict expected weather conditions along the routes, turbulence risks, and landing conditions, and advise on alternate routes and landing sites in the event of weather disruptions.
Among other things, they coordinate with the Air Traffic Control to make critical decisions about airport operations and provide help during emergency responses and recovery efforts.
Source: Getty Images
Though no statement has been issued on flight operations during the period of the strike, it is confirmed that flight operations cannot be conducted safely without the presence of the meteorological staff.
Aviation unions set to proceed on strike
In related news, Legit.ng reported that aviation unions had earlier threatened to embark on strike.
Speaking under the auspices of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), they issued a statement to alert workers on the development.
The unions also released a list of demands concerning the federal government's decision to concession several airports across the country without consulting the unions.
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Source: Legit.ng
