Unions threaten to down tools over looming SAA retrenchments
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa)
and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) has condemned restructure
plans by South African Airways (SAA).
This comes after the embattled state-owned airline announced on Monday a restructuring process that could affect 944 employees.
Numsa's national spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola claims the unions only found out about the plans in the media.
"What is strange is that we happed meetings with management as recent as yesterday (Monday) to discuss wages and at no point did they discuss their plans to serve us this Section 189 (to retrench)," she says.
She adds the announcement by the state-owned airline is meant to threaten workers, since unions are in wage talks with SAA.
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South Afican Airways restructuring to affect nearly 1,000 workers
South Africa's troubled state-owned airline on Monday announced a restructuring process that could affect 944 employees and "lead to job losses". South African Airways (SAA) is deep in debt and has been struggling despite several government bail outs.
Hlubi-Majola says last month pilots at the airline received a 5.9% wage increase and the union's workers have also made their submission for an 8% increase.
The union is questioning the timing of the announcement.
"It is clear that real purpose is to force workers to drop their wage demand and we view it a real threat," says Hlubi-Majola.
Numsa has also reiterated its call for the board of SAA to be axed as the union is convinced, they don't know how to run the airline and have also sat back and allowed massive looting and corruption.
She adds the two unions have mobilised their members and will embark on the "mother of all strikes” if the issue is not resolved.
Listen to Hlubi-Majola below:
South African Airways (SAA) is deep in debt and has been struggling despite several government bailouts.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni announced in February that the government would reimburse the company's R 9.2-billion debt (around $620 million) over the next three years.
The country's embattled power utility Eskom received a $1.6 billion-a-year bailout in February -- partly to deal with maintenance issues and to stave off credit rating downgrades.