Arik Air Sacks 300 Staff After Workers Protest Against Poor Working Condition

The management of Arik Air has disengaged 300 members of staff of the establishment.

BIGPENNGR.COM reports that this is coming a day after Arik Air operations were grounded by the National Union of Air Transport Employees over poor working conditions.

The workers blocked the entrance of the airline’s headquarters, carrying placards with different inscriptions.

Some of the inscriptions read, “End Arik brutality,” and “Sign our condition of service and recall all staff.”

They alleged that several members of staff had been furloughed, adding that pensions were being owed.

But in a surprise statement titled “Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant” and made available to newsmen, the airline, however hinged their decision on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

The company explained that a redundancy package would be provided for the affected workers with the help of the aviation unions.

The statement read in part, “Arising from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the constrained ability of the airline to complete heavy maintenance activities and return its planes to operations, stunted revenues against increasing operational costs, the management of Arik Air (In Receivership) has declared 300 staff members redundant to its current level of operations.

“The leadership of the impacted unions has been contacted to negotiate a redundancy package for the affected staff.”

The airline added that over 50 per cent of its workforce of over 1,600 staff has been on furlough in the past six months.

The Public Relations and Communications Manager, Banji Ola, in the statement, however apologised to passengers whose travel plans were disrupted by the protest carried out by the National Union of Air Transport Employees on December 3, 2020.

The picketing disrupted operations in Lagos and prevented the airline from processing passengers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal 1 and 2.