The airport staff, numbering more than 500 in all, began their protest as early as 5am, blocking the main entrance and urged other members of staff to join in the eight hour protest.
As a result, all Abuja-Lagos flights at the airport were suspended, as workers negotiated with the Akwa Ibom State government.
The placards carried by the protesting workers read ‘5 years of neglect must end’, ‘Give us uncommon transformation’, N10,000 salary is slavery, review our salaries now’, among others.
The workers grievances, it was gathered include; absence of condition of service, non review of salaries since the inception of the airport, irregularities in employment and remuneration and non payment of salaries, allowances and grant arrears to staff.
The Branch Chairman of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, Comrade Edidiong Brendan said ‘ there has not been a salary review for airport staff for almost six years now and it is rather unfair that while government and relevant authorities have eagerly made changes in wages nationwide, the Ibom Airport staff are left languishing in abject neglect, clinging on to meagre wages’.
He further lamented that it has become an unwritten law in the airport that some employees are not paid their full entitlements for upward of 18months after assumption of duties.
He disclosed that most of the staff employed since march last year on grade level four were still being paid pocket allowance of N9,850.00 as against the minimum wage of N21000 paid to other categories of staff in the state civil service.
He also revealed that some certain members of staff in the company were being owed arrears of salaries, allowances as grants adding that most of them were employed and paid training allowance without their salaries for 17 months.
Efforts to get the state government's attention to their plight had fallen on deaf ears hence the decision to protest publicly.
However, Mrs Emah Ebong, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, who supervises airport operations, said government was not unmindful of the challenges faced by the workers but was poised to ensure all grey areas are sorted out.
She said a meeting has been arranged for next week between the workers and government to arrive at harmonious relationship such that there would be no disruption of operations at the airport especially during the forthcoming yuletide.
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