By Monique Vanek.
Caption: FlySafair head of marketing Kirby Gordon in his home away from home – his office. Picture: Hein Kaiser.
South Africa’s largest airline, FlySafair, said it plans to lock out some of its cabin crew after wage talks deadlocked.
No resolution was reached with the South African Cabin Crew Association “by the close of talks on Monday night, meaning that the employer-initiated work stoppage will commence from midnight tonight,” the airline said in a statement.
Kirby Gordon, the airline’s chief marketing officer, said no flights would be cancelled as the airline had already made contingency plans. FlySafair has secured full crew coverage from employees willing to work, and the airline’s schedule is secure, he said.
According to the airline, the union rejected the company’s latest offer, which includes a 5.7% wage increase, a new 7.5% annual bonus, pay progression and additional monthly allowances. South Africa’s annual consumer inflation rate was 3.4% in September.
Christopher Shabangu, deputy president of Sacca, said the dispute was over how the airline compensates for the lunch hour sacrifice and was hopeful of reaching a resolution soon.
FlySafair confirmed that Sacca had also raised questions related to the interpretation of certain provisions of the Labour Relations Act and agreed to refer these matters, together with the union, to the Department of Labour for clarity and guidance.
“These matters are separate and not the cause of this industrial action,” Gordon said. “This strike, and the settlement agreement that needs to be signed, is fundamentally about compensation and about members feeling heard, both within the organisation.”
The airline also said it would apply to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration to mediate the talks as the dispute has public interest implications.
The low-cost carrier, which controls 60% of the domestic market and transports on average 30 000 passengers a day, in August reached a pact with its pilots over wages and work schedules, ending 12 days of lockouts and strike action.