According to the News Agency of Nigeria,The minister was addressing  the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association’s third national delegates’ conference in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

Sirika, who was represented by Mr. Akin Olateru, Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau, said the unions should instead engage with the management of aviation agencies to help the industry thrive.

The minister stated that the major problems faced by COVID-19 necessitate collaboration among all stakeholders in order to forge a realistic path to a vibrant and healthy aviation industry that benefits everyone, including workers.

“We are in a phase of recovery, so this is not the time for threats and a wave of industrial actions that would only stifle the industry’s desperately needed growth,” he said.

“When the pandemic struck, aviation was one of the first to succumb to COVID-19, and in an industry known for thin margins, particularly in the airline business, where labor is one of the highest costs, cutting labor costs is quite appealing.

HE continued, “IATA records show that as of 2018, air transport in Nigeria supported 241,000 jobs with a gross value added to GDP of US $1.7b.

“The growth forecast for the Nigeria Air Transport market was 174% in the next 20 years. If met, this would support approximately $4.7 billion of GDP and over 555,000 jobs.”

The minister stated that unions played a key role in the expansion and survival of the aviation industry because their members made up the bulk of the workers who worked around the clock to keep the industry functioning smoothly.

Sirika urged unions to work together to safeguard aviation and maintain global supply chains, stating that they will continue to include labor in policy and strategic decisions to reposition the industry.

The minister also stated that he expects the unions to reciprocate this generosity with a little more thought and support in the aviation sub-best sector’s interests.

Mr. Ilitrus Ahmadu, the National President of ATSSSAN, also mentioned the necessity for labor unions and companies in the sector to invest in industrial peace.

He said the call was important because of COVID-19’s destructive effects on the country’s aviation sector, and that it was the moment for labor and employers to engage in constructive communication and negotiations to resolve conflicts effectively.