NIGERIAN EMPLOYEES OF VIRGIN ATLANTIC PROTEST

In their reaction to a planned sacking by the management of Virgin Atlantic, the Nigerian cabin crew members of the airline have raised their voices in protest.
The group sent a letter protesting the planned sack by month through its lawyer, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN).

In the letter dated November 17, 2015 and addressed to the Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Chief Fagbohungbe insisted that the circumstances surrounding the planned sack was in contravention of provisions of the International Labour Conference Convention 158 and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The lawyer also charged the Minister of Aviation to urgently look into what he termed an “utter disdain and disregard for the feelings of Nigerians by Virgin Atlantic.”
“There is no gainsaying that our clients have been treated unfairly based on their race and dislike for them as Nigerians. Virgin Atlantic’s dislike for Nigerians is further confirmed by the closure of the airline’s call centre in Nigeria which necessitated the routing of calls by Nigerian passengers in respect of their flight bookings through South Africa, this has caused unemployment in Nigeria while creating additional jobs in South Africa.
“In the same vein, although, the monies used to pay the staff in South Africa are generated in Nigeria, routing calls through South Africa is an additional cost, which was deliberately imposed on Nigerian passengers by Virgin Atlantic without due regard for the pain and agony that Nigerian passengers suffer as a result of this action.

   

“The decision of Virgin Atlantic to terminate the employment of our clients is another classical example of the disdain and utter disregard for the feelings of Nigerians by Virgin Atlantic and our clients have decided to resist this oppressive conduct.
“Since there is no commercial or any other valid or justifiable reason for the decision of Virgin Atlantic to terminate the employment of our clients, we demand that Virgin Atlantic should immediately withdraw the notices of termination served on our clients through its agent – Aviation Logistics and Management Limited,” Fagbohungbe’s letter read in part.
Among others, he copied the Minister of Transport, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation.
I would be recalled that as a preclude to the current move to sack its Nigerian employees, the airline had earlier shut down its call centre in Nigeria and moved it to South Africa thereby compounding the unemployment challenge in the country and increasing the cost by Nigerians in getting through to the airline for enquiries.
Fagbohungbe called on Branson to order the withdrawal of the sack notices served on the Nigerian members of Virgin Atlantic Airways cabin crew within seven days or the airline will face legal action.
He also charged the Minister of Aviation to urgently look into what he termed an “utter disdain and disregard for the feelings of Nigerians by Virgin Atlantic.”
“There is no gainsaying that our clients have been treated unfairly based on their race and dislike for them as Nigerians. Virgin Atlantic’s dislike for Nigerians is further confirmed by the closure of the airline’s call centre in Nigeria which necessitated the routing of calls by Nigerian passengers in respect of their flight bookings through South Africa, this has caused unemployment in Nigeria while creating additional jobs in South Africa.
“In the same vein, although, the monies used to pay the staff in South Africa are generated in Nigeria, routing calls through South Africa is an additional cost, which was deliberately imposed on Nigerian passengers by Virgin Atlantic without due regard for the pain and agony that Nigerian passengers suffer as a result of this action.
“The decision of Virgin Atlantic to terminate the employment of our clients is another classical example of the disdain and utter disregard for the feelings of Nigerians by Virgin Atlantic and our clients have decided to resist this oppressive conduct.
“Since there is no commercial or any other valid or justifiable reason for the decision of Virgin Atlantic to terminate the employment of our clients, we demand that Virgin Atlantic should immediately withdraw the notices of termination served on our clients through its agent – Aviation Logistics and Management Limited,” Fagbohungbe’s letter read in part.
Among others, he copied the Minister of Transport, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation.


Punch