Labour advises AMCON to pay Arik workers, if sacked

The United Labour Congress (ULC) on Friday advised the Asset Management Corporation of Nigerian (AMCON) to ensure that workers in Arik Air were paid their entitlements before being laid-off.

Mr Joe Ajaero, President of ULC told journalists after its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Lagos that AMCON would not lay off workers in Arik Air without settling them.

Newsverge gathered that Arik Air is planning to sack more than half of its workforce, since it could no longer generate enough revenue to pay about 2, 000 of its Nigerian staff.

Newsverge reports that AMCON took over the management of the airline on Feb. 8, since the airline was facing financial challenges.

According to Ajaero, the branch union of the ULC reached an agreement with Arik Air in December 2016 and agreed that the five months arrears owed the workers will be settled, among others issues.

He said that since AMCON has taken over management of the airline, it has to ensure that it complied with the agreement that the Arik Air management reached with the union, to avoid an industrial crisis.

“We reached an agreement with Arik Air management to settle workers grievances. Now that a new body has taken over, we will find out what they are doing to ensure that the agreement is met.

“Soon, ULC members will visit Arik Air and to know if they are complying with the agreement or not,’’ he said.

The ULC president also called on the Ogun Government to recall some of its workers sacked for protesting anti-labour policies.

On the Xenophobic attacks, Ajaero urged the South African government to protect the lives and properties of Africans living in the country.

He said that the government should find a way to stop the recurrence of such attacks on African nationals living in the country, especially Nigerians, in the future.

He advised the government to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book and that those whose lives and properties were affected are compensated.