The National Executive Council (NEC) of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has directed all pilots and engineers at Bristow Group Nigeria to withdraw their services with effect from Wednesday March 30 to Friday April 1, 2016.

The warning strike to Bristow Management is coming as a result of pay disparity and poor condition of service being alleged by the union.

It alleged that Nigerian pilots and engineers are discriminated against in favour of foreign nationals.

The union in a letter signed by its General Secretary, Comrade Abah Ochembe said all efforts to get the management of Bristow to ameliorate such acts of injustice and violation of the Constitution of Nigeria, as well as contravention of Bristow Code of Business Integrity (COBI) have failed.

It, therefore, declared the warning strike threatening to embark on a bigger one if nothing is done by the management to address the alleged injustice.

In the letter, NAAPE demanded, “full restoration of pay parity between expatriates and nationals; bringing about a valid Conditions of Service, and a commitment by the management of Bristow that Nationals will not be laid off as long as there exists Expatriates in the company.”

It added, “As you are all aware, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has been in dispute with the management of Bristow Group over the highly vexed issue of pay disparity by which Nigerian Pilots and Engineers are discriminated against in favour of foreign nationals, as well as the highly inimical absence of a valid conditions of Service.”

“All effort by NAAPE to get the management of Bristow to ameliorate these acts of injustice and violation of the Constitution of Nigeria, as well as contravention of Bristow Code of Business Integrity (COBI) has failed to yield any positive result.

“Management’s proposal on the issue dated 11/02/2016 is nothing but a disingenuous mockery of all of us and undisguised insult on our collective intelligence, as it offers nothing but takes away even more from us. As such the offer has been outright and totally rejected.

“NAAPE has since offered a proposal to the management which has received an even more unpalatable response. Any unbiased third-party will easily agree that NAAPE has bent double backwards to show maturity and good faith, and has amply demonstrated restraint and forbearance. But management has paid us back with utter disdain and blackmail."

“While we have been playing for time to allow for workable solutions, management has been digging trenches and fortifying their positions. While we have been offending our members by showing understanding, Management has been degrading our Country’s laws by massing up expatriate recruitment, in fragrant disregard to subsisting Expatriate quota laws, all in a bid to decimate and weaken the position of Nationals.

“And as a nail on our coffin, the management has set out to massively lay off National Pilots and Engineers as a weapon of war against NAAPE,” the release said. (Daily Trust)

•Photo shows a Bristow helicopter.

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