Nigeria’s aviation industry is facing another threat of industrial action after two major aviation unions issued a fresh three-day strike notice to domestic airlines over alleged restrictions on workers’ right to unionise and the withholding of a five per cent Ticket Sales Charge collected from passengers.
The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) warned that affected airlines could face industrial action once the three-day notice expires if they fail to resolve the grievances raised by the unions.
The notice was signed by the unions’ General Secretaries, Frances Akinjole of ATSSSAN and John Igene of NUATE. The Airline Operators of Nigeria, airport police formations, and the Department of State Services were copied in the notice.
The unions’ latest position followed their decision to suspend or relax a picketing notice issued on August 4, 2026, while giving the affected airlines another three days to address the disputes.
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At the centre of the confrontation are two issues which the unions regard as serious breaches of labour and aviation-sector obligations: alleged obstruction of workers seeking to belong to trade unions and the non-remittance of the five per cent TSC already collected by airlines.
The unions claimed that some domestic carriers had made it difficult for employees to exercise their right to join unions of their choice. They alleged that workers were so apprehensive about possible repercussions that some were unwilling even to express an intention to unionise.
The unions demanded that the affected airlines issue formal circulars and other direct communications assuring employees that they could join unions of their choice without fear of victimisation.
The dispute over the TSC is separate but equally central to the unions’ threat of industrial action. ATSSSAN and NUATE accused some airlines of withholding the five per cent charge collected from passengers, which they described as operational funds intended for aviation agencies.
The unions argued that the alleged non-remittance had consequences beyond the finances of the agencies. They said it was affecting the implementation of negotiated collective bargaining agreements and conditions of service for aviation workers.
They warned that prolonged failure to resolve the issue could deepen discontent among workers and create wider operational concerns within the sector.
In their notice, the unions said the withholding of the charge had rendered negotiated agreements at the affected aviation agencies difficult to implement, a situation they characterised as capable of producing serious consequences for the industry.
ATSSSAN and NUATE therefore demanded the immediate payment of all outstanding TSC collected by the airlines.
They also insisted that the remitted funds were necessary for aviation agencies to meet their obligations to workers under negotiated conditions of service.
The unions had earlier threatened to picket airlines over the same dispute before opting to relax the August 4 notice and issue the latest three-day ultimatum.
The fresh warning leaves the affected airlines with a limited period to address the unions’ demands and avert a possible disruption of aviation services.
