The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned foreign airlines who are involved in back-catering, saying the act could reduce employment opportunities for Nigerians. This is even as it has threatened to shut down operations of the airline operators concerned if they fail to correct the anomalies.
Chairman, NLC, Lagos State chapter, Funmi Sessi, in an interview with Daily Sun, said the airlines were capitalising on the COVID-19 pandemic, even though such acts would never be condoned in their respective countries.
According to her, labour, through NLC Lagos, has discovered that foreign airlines are now in the habit of back-catering.
“This is an approach whereby they don’t take their food from Nigeria but bring their own food from their own countries,” she said.
She noted that before the pandemic, the act was not prevalent as there were mutual arrangements between the airlines and the industry in Nigeria.
The labour leader said lack of local suppliers providing catering reduces employment opportunities for the populace.
“The more airlines back-cater, there could be job losses for our populace. We need more intervention from the Federal Government and the aviation sector in the matter.
“This practice must be stopped, henceforth, or labour will be forced to take decisive action. Airlines such as British Airways, Egypt Air, Ethiopian, Rwandair, Turkish Airlines currently engage in this practice. Their countries will not allow Nigerian airlines engage in such practices,” she added.
She stated that Nigeria has experienced and professional caterers who could do the jobs and, invariably, provide more employment for Nigerians and earnings for the country.
