BREAKING: NiMET To Commence Strike On Monday 

BREAKING: NiMET To Commence Strike On Monday 

Aviation unions in Nigeria, such as the National Union of Air Transport Employee Association of Nigeria, the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations and Technical and Recreational Employees, have directed staff of the Nigeria Meteorology Agency to initiate strike action starting on Monday, May 20, 2024.

The decision to go on strike was communicated in a letter dated May 14, 2024, which was obtained by a correspondent on Wednesday.

The primary reason behind this strike action is the failure of the agency’s management to address the issue of 45 months of minimum wage arrears and consequential adjustments for its employees.

The union, represented by the General Secretaries Ocheme Aba, Abdulrasaq Seidu, and Waheed Sikiru, penned a letter to NiMET’s Director General, Prof Charles Anoske, with the subject line ‘Re: Failure to Pay 45-Month Arrears of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment—14 days ultimatum.’

In this letter, they highlighted the ultimatum given to management and management’s response, which proposed a gradual settlement of the 45 months of arrears.

The unions expressed disappointment over the delay in disbursing the palliative payments approved by the Federal Government since October 2023.

Additionally, they raised concerns about the non-implementation of the 25-35 per cent salary increment and the exclusion of NiMET staff from receiving Peculiar Allowances.

This lack of action on these critical issues has led to discontent among the agency’s employees, ultimately leading to the decision to proceed with the strike action.

“Furthermore, our Unions through a joint letter dated 4, April 2024, did request for review of the outdated conditions of service. To date the management has deemed our Unions unfit for any response,” it read.

The letter further reads, “The above catalogue of woes, and others unmentioned confirm that NiMET Staff have been consigned to the lin bin of abject poverty – worse than any existing aviation establishment. In our considered view, it is inhuman on the part of management to be forborne with these conditions and irresponsible on the part of unions to tolerate this situation for this long.

“Therefore, this letter serves as notice to the management of NiMET that the staff members of the agency are, by a copy of this letter, directed to withdraw all services with effect from Monday, May 20, 2024, unless and until the outstanding 42 months arrears of consequential adjustment is fully liquidated.

“NIMET Salary structure is adapted to an appropriate Federal Government approved structure and all accruable payments liquidated, Management commences review of the outdated CoS with our Unions with a definite timeline for delivery and actualisation.”