Labour unions decry looming job losses, corruption at 'new SAA'

On Tuesday, the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) picketed at the offices of the Department of Public Enterprises in Pretoria over threats to job security and claims of corruption.

This after the unions revealed that some 225 jobs were on the line.

It's understood the airline's training lay-off scheme would soon come to an end, with no chance of these workers being absorbed by the company.

Meanwhile the unions have also claimed that the carrier's management has re-employed staffers who accepted voluntary severance packages - a move they have described as corrupt.

"Accepting a VSP means you have signed away your rights and you may not come back but some of these managers were brought back to SAA. The VSP's were funded through taxpayer money. If you are re-employed at SAA after taking the VSP, this is a form of corruption," said Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola.

"At the same time ordinary workers who were absorbed into the new airline, lost their benefits and conditions of employment. But the packages that management and specialists receive are more generous than that of ordinary workers. Workers at SAA are suffering whilst the same management that brought the airline to the point of destruction, are rewarded with generous packages."

The unions handed over a memorandum of demands to Public Enterprises, calling on Minister Pravin Gordhan to intervene.

SACCA President Zazi Nsibanyoni-Mugambi said demands include fair recruitment processes and meal allowances for employees.

"Our members want their previous conditions of employment back; they want them reinstated. They want all their agreements and variations to be reinstated.

"Our employees want to be treated normally by having medical aid, a housing allowance and a 13th cheque," Nsibanyoni-Mugambi added.

SAA declined to comment on its internal matters.

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