The Evolving Stance of Aviation Unions on Airport Concessions
John Ogbe, the Secretary of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch, has recently expressed a shift in the union’s position regarding airport concessions. As he prepares to run for the presidency of ATSSSAN, Ogbe emphasizes the need for resolution of workers’ issues before any concession process is finalized.
Reimagining Unionism
When asked about his vision for unionism, Ogbe highlighted the importance of engagement over confrontation. “In unionism, we need engagement on issues; the final tool to use in unionism is strike, which should not be used all the time,” he said. He envisions an environment where trust is built between unions and management or governments. “All issues that have to do with welfare and union activities can be resolved on the table.”
Ogbe also stressed the importance of knowledge and capacity building within the union. “What is lacking in today’s unionism is knowledge gap and capacity. I intend to build capacity as a union leader so that the union leaders too will be more knowledgeable in their engagements with governments and organisations.” This initiative would be implemented across all branches of ATSSSAN.
Supporting Members in Private Organizations
Ogbe outlined plans to support members working in private organizations. “In my first one month in office, I will move around all the organisations that we have our members in.” He noted that ATSSSAN currently has 16 organizations with members, including 11 private ones. “One of the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is that an employer is to provide the tools and comfortable working environment for its workers. These are the issues I intend to take up with the various managements where we have our members.”
Views on Airport Concessions
Ogbe acknowledged the union’s previous firm stance against concessions but noted that this position is evolving. “In the last eight years or so, our position was a firm no to concession, but we have realized that concession is not going away.” He pointed out that the government lacks the funds to transform airports, and global aviation standards require improvement.
“Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is just the right way to go for everyone, but we are firmly behind our workers on the welfare and labour issues and all these must be resolved. That is where we are with the government.”
Addressing Key Issues
The union has identified several key issues that the government must address. “In the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), we have three big airports – Lagos, Abuja and Kano, which are feeding the other airports.” Ogbe explained that staff are employed under FAAN, not individual airports, leading to complications in pension schemes.
“The workers are telling the government to sever everyone and let the concessionaire take over the whole airport. Part of our demands to the government is cluster concession, in which a concessionaire of any of the big airports would pick other small airports within the region.”
He also emphasized the need for actual valuation, stating that the value of N1.21 billion for the entire FAAN workforce should be on ground. “So far, the government is sincere with its engagements with stakeholders and the unions.”
Proper Contractual Terms
When asked about proper contractual terms for airports, Ogbe stated, “The length of the concession period cannot be determined by an individual; this depends on what the concessionaire and the government are bringing to the table.” He added that financial situations determine how long it will take to recoup investments.
Resolving Past Pitfalls
Ogbe acknowledged past challenges with concessions but highlighted the role of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). “The good side of this era is that we have the ICRC, which is saddled with the responsibility of midwifing the end-to-end concession process.”
He also emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement. “Engagements with the stakeholders and the unions will go a long way to address several of the challenges, even beyond the labour issues.”
The Future of FAAN
Ogbe clarified that FAAN will still exist after concessions. “FAAN as an authority will still be there; with what we are doing in Enugu right now, it’s a form of revenue sharing between the agency and the concession proponents.” He added that FAAN will continue to oversee Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the concession process.
