The Ethiopian Airlines branch of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has suspended a planned strike after the Federal Government intervened to mediate a dispute over unpaid 13th-month salaries, stalled promotions, low wages, and contract staffing.
The dispute was addressed at a conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, during which both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU establishes a two-week timeline for further discussions under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The development was communicated in a statement issued on Thursday by Patience Onuobia, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry.
“The Ethiopian Airlines branch of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has cancelled its planned industrial action, following mediation by the federal government.
“The union had threatened to embark on a strike over the refusal of the management of the Airline to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement on the 13th-month salary, the non-promotion of workers, casual/contract staffing, and low remuneration.
“At the end of a conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, the NUATE and Ethiopian Airlines in Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to meet within two weeks to discuss all issues in dispute and revert to the Ministry,” the statement read in part.
More insights
The agreement specifies that NUATE, officials from Ethiopian Airlines’ management, representatives from the Federal Ministries of Labour and Employment and Aviation and Aerospace Development, as well as members of the Joint Aviation Trade Unions Forum, will all participate in the follow-up meeting to address the outstanding issues.
- Importantly, the parties have agreed that no strike or work stoppage will take place before this next session, ensuring continued operations and avoiding disruption to airline services.
- Minister Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi reiterated the Federal Government’s strong commitment to promoting decent work, fair labour practices, and industrial peace across all sectors.
He emphasized that timely and proactive mediation not only safeguards workers’ rights and welfare but also helps maintain uninterrupted service delivery in key industries, such as aviation, which are critical to the country’s economy and connectivity.
What you should know
Remuneration and promotion issues have been recurring challenges in Nigeria’s aviation sector, often prompting unions to threaten industrial action.
- In August 2025, four major aviation unions—NUATE, ATSSSAN, ANAP, and AUCPTRE—suspended a planned strike at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) after assurances that revised salaries would be implemented alongside August pay.
- The unions credited interventions by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, senior ministry officials, and NAMA management for the positive outcome.
The development reflects a broader pattern in the aviation industry, where government mediation plays a key role in resolving disputes over pay, promotions, and contract staffing, similar to the recent NUATE–Ethiopian Airlines case.
