Gordhan to meet with striking SAA unions on Tuesday
The airline has said it's under pressure to just remain in business.
General Secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa Irvin Jim talks to members of the media, 7 December 2016, in Newtown, Johannesburg, on the trade unions upcoming national conference. Picture: Alaister Russell
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan plans to meet with unions striking over wages and the South African Airways (SAA) retrenchment plan on Tuesday.
As the SAA strike enters its fifth day, Irvin Jim, general secretary of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, said unions had scheduled a meeting with Gordhan for Tuesday.
The airline has cancelled hundreds of flights as a cost-saving measure while Numsa and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) demand an 8% salary increase. SAA has offered the unions a 5.9% salary increase only when funds become available.
Last week, the Inkatha Freedom Party called for Gordhan’s intervention while pleading with SAA workers to return to work and settle their grievances in the boardroom.
SAA would only be in a better position to provide more competitive salaries and increases when its books were able to balance, the party argued.
SAA workers on Friday embarked on a strike for higher wages and against the national carrier’s retrenchment plan. The strike forced the carrier to cancel more than 200 domestic, regional and international flights between Friday and Saturday.
Both SACCA and Numsa served the airline with a strike notice last week, confirming 3,000 members would be participating in the strike.
(Compiled by Gopolang Moloko)
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