Tensions flared on Workers Day as the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) issued a fresh ultimatum to Turkish Airlines, threatening industrial action over what it described as ongoing victimization of staff who joined the union. The airline is accused of suppressing workers’ rights to association, in clear violation of Nigerian labour laws.
Speaking during the 2025 Workers Day celebration on May 1, NUATE President, Comrade Ben Nnabue, accused the General Manager of Turkish Airlines in Nigeria of deliberately preventing staff from setting up a union office and targeting employees for their affiliations. According to him, several attempts at dialogue have failed, forcing the union to escalate its response.
Nnabue lamented that previous interventions by both the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Aviation have yielded no progress. He noted that the airline’s refusal to comply with national labour standards has pushed the union to a breaking point, declaring that immediate post-May Day actions would commence unless the issues are addressed.
He referenced a legal suit filed by Turkish Airlines against the union, which was dismissed by the National Industrial Court for lacking merit. “The victimization of staff for holding union positions has reached the point of no return,” Nnabue stated, adding that the union would no longer tolerate blatant disregard for workers’ rights.
NUATE has directed its Lagos and FCT chapters to mobilize for full-scale action after the May Day celebrations, warning that the airline’s defiance would no longer go unanswered. The union also hinted at grounding Turkish Airlines’ operations if mediation fails again, a move that could disrupt flights and spark broader industry attention.
Beyond Turkish Airlines, NUATE criticized the Federal Government’s continued deduction of 50% from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of aviation agencies at source. Nnabue argued that the policy is stifling the capacity of aviation agencies to improve infrastructure and staff welfare, calling it “economic sabotage against the aviation workforce.”
As global attention continues to focus on labour rights and corporate accountability, the NUATE-Turkish Airlines face-off could become a litmus test for Nigeria’s enforcement of labour law in multinational workplaces. With the union poised for confrontation, all eyes are now on Turkish Airlines and the Federal Government to act before a full-blown strike paralyzes operations.
