CHUKS OKOH
The newly elected president of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, (NAAPE) Capt. Bunmi Gindeh says the first 100 days in office will be strategy driven, designed to strengthen the union, improve welfare, and secure the dignity of Nigerian pilots and engineers.
Speaking after his victory at the poll held in Uyo, Gindeh said NAAPE competency exchange (N-EX), a local and international exchange program for pilots and engineers will have professionals which will rotate into partner organizations abroad for exposure, while experts rotate into Nigerian AMOs and airlines to transfer knowledge.
According to him, this will reduce dependence on expatriates and builds global credentials while parity through productivity (PTP) Pay Framework,
Clear, skill-and-output based pay bands linked to competencies, certifications, and productivity will be adopted to ensure fairness and places Nigerian professionals on equal footing with expatriates.
On wage transparency dashboard, Gindeh said anonymous, aggregated salary and welfare report for pilots and engineers with real data, to negotiate from a position of strength and expose unfair pay practices.
He assured of accreditation for employers who met best practices on pay fairness, training, and safety which will make the NAAPE Seal to become a mark of credibility in the industry, improving employer reputation and raising our leverage.
According to NAAPE President, a mobile team of negotiators and legal experts to intervene within 72 hours in cases of unlawful dismissals, threats, or anti-union practices adding that the quick response unit will change the balance of power.
Gindeh assured of structured apprenticeships for newly licensed pilots and junior engineers, guaranteeing placement in local airlines/AMOs to end excuses for excessive expatriate recruitment.
NAAPE boss also disclosed that PensionPlus & Microinsurance for members covering life, disability, and pension top-ups, saying it will deliver tangible welfare to their members.
He revealed that Hack-the-Flight Innovation Challenge, an annual challenge where member teams propose aviation safety or efficiency innovations.
“Partnering with regulators and donors to support Nigeria-based Approved Maintenance Organizations (AMOs) with small technical grants – conditional on local hiring and training. Stronger AMOs mean more jobs for us” .
“A mentorship program pairing senior pilots/engineers with juniors, supported by a ‘Passport’ of micro-credentials that strengthens promotion and career advancement opportunities” .