Aviation unions threaten fresh strike at NiMet over unfulfilled agreement

Keyamo

By Dickson Omobola

Six months after staff of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, suspended their strike after Federal Government intervened, aviation unions have warned the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, that failure to honour their agreement could cause another industrial action.

Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, Odinaka Igbokwe, and Secretary General of Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, ANAP, Abdul Rasaq Saidu, in a letter addressed to Keyamo on October 2, 2025, said outstanding balance of nine months of 2019 minimum wage arrears and payment of the omitted 30 staff of the 2019 minimum wage, among others, had not been resolved.

However, they warned that if these issues lingered until next week Wednesday, the strike action would be resumed.

The statement reads: “You would recall that workers in NiMet led by our unions embarked on a strike action on April 22, 2025, to press home the demands for improved conditions which included salary relativity, minimum wage implementation, nine months arrears of Consequential adjustment, 25-35 per cent wage award and peculiar allowance, subsistence benefit, annual staff training, contract staffing and engagement of special advisers/special assistants in NiMet, NiMet Salary Structure (CONNIMet), review of conditions of service, among others.

“But the minister graciously intervened and apprehended the matter through a meeting on April 24, 2025, which led to the signing of a resolution by parties involved, and the subsequent suspension of the strike action.

Unfortunately, we have received a letter from our in-house unions dated September 15, 2025, calling for our urgent intervention on NiMet’s lingering issues which include outstanding balance of nine months of 2019 minimum wage arrears and payment of the omitted 30 staff of the 2019 minimum wage, adoption of salary relativity, non-compliance with the official circular from the Permanent Secretary on the appointment and contract engagement of special assistants, personal assistants and other contract staff within the agency.

“It is disheartening and quite worrisome that these issues have lingered for too long despite several interventions and assurances from the government. We want to categorically state that the workers have demonstrated enough maturity by remaining peaceful and loyal, and have exercise enormous patience which has now run out.

“If these issues are not urgently addressed on or before October 15, 2025, the unions will be left with no other option but to resume the earlier suspended strike action.”

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