The Federal Parastatal and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria has threatened to mobilise its members across the country in protest alleged maltreatment of their retired members by the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
The union threatened to embark on the nationwide strike effective February 15, over what it called the inability of the management to dialogue with the union.
The General Secretary of the FEEPPPA, Comrade Emeka Njoku, made this known on Tuesday during a meeting of the senior citizens held at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
The scribe of the union decried the inability of the new FAAN management to meet with them over challenges being faced by the pensioners.
Njoku, while addressing over 1000 pensioners, stated that medical facilities as granted in the past years were not being enjoyed by FAAN pensioners as it was not functioning, adding that the issue of minimum wage as it concerns them has not been addressed either as the management failed to respond to their correspondence.
“We have written to FAAN management to call for meetings to discuss all these outstanding issues, which they have not done. We are watching, and this year, we will not tolerate such neglect from FAAN management. We have to correct the neglect and anomalies.”
The union also said FAAN ought to ensure that the minimum wage is applicable to pensioners, as N32,000 was granted to FAAN pensioners after the approval of the minimum wage.
The secretary added that the union had, in 2002, told the FAAN management that pension should be increased whenever there was a salary increment.
Njoku said the pensioners have been enjoying the agreement but that the present management of FAAN under Olubunmi Kuku has refused to follow that tradition.
He recalled sending a request that had been sent to the Income and Wages unit of the agency, seeking approval in terms of percentage, adding that FAAN management has failed to comply with their request on what platform is used for pensioners in the organisation.
He said, “Previous management will call us and present the proposal to us and examine if it corresponds with the salary in the 2002 agreement. But the present FAAN has ignored our letter and kept quiet.
“From now till the 15th of this month, if they fail to call us for a meeting, we will mobilise our members throughout the country for a protest. They are meeting with other unions to discuss workers’ welfare. Even the Director of Human Resources has not called us for dialogue.”
Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, in a telephone call told our correspondent that she received the pensioners’ letter in October and arranged a meeting with them on December 19, 2024, following another correspondence.
Mrs Kuku said she was ready and available to meet them as she meets people without discrimination on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“Yes, I saw the letter, the one written in October, and I treated it, and a meeting was scheduled with them on 19th December. But we are ready to meet them.”