Some SAA staff to go on strike

SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) spokesman Vincent Masoga said in a statement on Wednesday (17 July) that the airline had undermined wage negotiations,

"The recalcitrant management of SAA has unilaterally implemented their rejected initial offer of 6.23% of basic salary and all other benefits while the negotiations were still underway," he said.

He said that last week unions put the strike on hold after SAA offered a 6.5% increase across the board, with all benefits.

Workers were considering the latest offer when the airline implemented the rejected amount, he said.

SAA said it would comment on the matter later in the day.

Masoga said workers had reverted to their initial demand of an increase of 8.33% in salary, housing allowance, medical aid and meal allowance.

"It is rather appalling for publicly owned entities such as the SAA to treat workers in the most unequal and discriminatory manner and in this case the airline is guilty of preferential treatment of workers with more bias to the pilots," Masoga claimed

He said SAA pilots had an "evergreen" agreement that awarded them a 15% increase and segregated hotel accommodation, as "pilots refuse to stay on the same floor with cabin crew".

"Our biggest concern is that this perpetuates racial inequalities as 98% of the SAA pilots are white and there seems to be no space at all for new entrants," Masoga claimed.

Source: Sapa via I-Net Bridge