No fewer than 300 workers of Dana Airline have been disengaged.
This came days after Dana’s plane skidded off the runway at Lagos airport.
In a letter shared with The Guardian by the disengaged workers, the airline stated that it could no longer keep its staff due to the suspension of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC)/business operations by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the enormous economic challenges it faced.
The letter read: “We regret to inform you that your service is no longer required by the company, effective May 9, 2024.
“This difficult decision was necessitated by the unfortunate suspension of our AOC/business operations by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the enormous economic challenges the suspension continues to occasion.
“It has been a great pleasure having you as part of our team. We take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution to the organisation during your time here with us and wish you the best in your future endeavours.”
But the disengaged workers, who converged on the Dana House, Five Star Bus Stop, Lagos insisted that the airline must speak to them and answer questions on why it failed to remit pensions deducted since 2008, and why leave allowance was not paid.
A disengaged Training Manager, Magdalene Onyeukwu, who spoke with The Guardian, said the airline had treated the staff unfairly: “I and others got messages via WhatsApp and email that our services were no longer required. That is the reason we are here to protest peacefully.
“It is disrespectful that Dana Air appropriately engaged me and others, we attended the interview but they dismissed us without proper communication. They engaged me in 2008, and in 2024, they sent a WhatsApp message to tell me that my services were no longer required. No benefit, no pension, no gratuity, April salary has not been paid.
“If you are asking a worker to go, a notice must be given the same way I must give them notice if I decide to resign from an organisation. They must give us what belongs to us, we are Nigerians, and we have worked for our benefit. I have worked for 15 years; I participated in the Demo Flight that gave Dana Air the air operator’s certificate (AOC) and I have been part of Dana, working tirelessly, with no excuses, and no other businesses, I gave Dana all my energy. Minus 15 years from my age so, what is left? I started as a cabin crew, grew to become an instructor and today I am in the capacity of a training manager. I have dedicated my life to the airline. My colleagues put their all in all. I know over 300 have been disengaged without communication.”
Another worker, who did not mention her name, said: “I joined the airline three years ago and they did not pay leave allowances, pension or HMO. We are here to demand answers to our questions.”
When asked why the workers did not speak up when the airline failed to remit their pension, a protester replied: “We were only afraid and trying to protect our jobs and the company, but here we are today, we have lost the job we were protecting.”
When The Guardian reached out to the spokesperson for the airline, Kingsley Ezenwa, he did not pick up his calls and did not respond to the text message sent to him.
