Three major aviation unions have issued a fresh warning to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), threatening to resume a suspended strike action if the agency fails to fulfil commitments outlined in a January 2025 collective bargaining agreement.
The unions—the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE)—jointly signed a letter expressing strong discontent with the agency’s management.
“We are highly disheartened to note that the management has reneged on its promises to the workers via the agreement it signed with our unions on 28th January 2025,” the unions stated in the letter obtained by our correspondent.
At the heart of the dispute is the failure of NiMet to negotiate and implement a key allowance by the end of February 2025, as agreed. According to the unions, over six weeks later, no negotiations have taken place and no explanation has been provided.
They also accused the agency of withholding a finalized conditions of service document and delaying several entitlements, including:
A 25–35% wage increase
A 40% peculiar allowance
Nine months’ outstanding arrears from the 2019 minimum wage
Inclusion of 30 omitted names from the 2019 wage implementation
The unions also raised concerns about salary relativity issues and criticised the prioritisation of executive retreats over staff training and development.
“These stated flagrant infractions on a duly signed collective bargaining agreement are indeed troubling and worrisome,” the unions wrote.
In their letter, the unions gave NiMet until Wednesday, April 16, 2025, to implement all aspects of the agreement or face an indefinite strike without further notice.
NiMet staff, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the 25–35% wage increase has yet to be paid, despite its reported approval. Workers say they continue to endure financial hardship, with many relying on loans to survive, and struggling to pay for transportation and basic needs.
“Imagine being one of us. They paid others, but you didn’t get anything until today. That pain is real,” one staff member said.
The staff also revealed that only partial arrears for the 2019 minimum wage were paid in August 2024, covering 34 out of 43 months owed. NiMet workers claim they were excluded from the recent N40,000 peculiar allowance granted to other civil servants and have yet to see any implementation of the newly approved national minimum wage.
“90 per cent of NiMet staff are on loans. Many don’t even show up at work because they can’t afford the transport fare,” a worker disclosed.
In January 2025, the unions had issued a 14-day ultimatum and threatened a nationwide industrial action, which was temporarily suspended in good faith. That goodwill, they now say, has been squandered.
