Nigeria’s Air Peace recalls sacked pilots after union threat

Air Peace (P4, Lagos) has agreed to recall “some” of over 70 pilots it sacked earlier in August after the National Association of Airline Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) threatened industrial action, online newspaper The Cable has reported. The concession was revealed in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu. He underlined that Air Peace had agreed to recall as many pilots as it was able to accommodate given the current crisis and reduced workload. In turn, the NAAPE has also taken a more concilliatory stand. It admitted that some mistakes may have been made in communications between the union and the airline but appealed for the two to maintain a more partner-like relationship going forward. When announcing the layoffs in early August, Air Peace said that the decision was “painful but rightful”. “The airline cannot afford to toe the path of being unable to continue to fulfil its financial obligations to its staff, external vendors, aviation agencies, maintenance organisations, insurance companies, banks and other creditors, hence the decision to restructure its entire operations with a view to surviving the times,” the spokesperson said. Besides the reduction of 70-75 pilot jobs, the airline also announced a 40% salary cut affecting all staff members.