By Akani Nkuna
Solidarity has accused FlySafair’s management of adopting an aggressive stance in an effort to intimidate disgruntled pilots from participating in a strike that started at the airline on Monday.
They want more money and improved working conditions.
“FlySafair has an aggressive business style. FlySafair’s management apparently thinks aggression towards their key staff would also work. However, it does not work that way with people. If 90% of members of Solidarity vote in favour of a strike, then something is seriously amiss,” Solidarity deputy general secretary, Helgard Cronje said in a statement on Monday.
This comes after more than 200 FlySafair pilots downed tools, causing a major inconvenience to passengers. Around 8% of flights were cancelled, which left some passengers stranded at airports across the country.
Cronje accused FlySafair’s management of being unwilling to come to the negotiating table over the weekend to try prevent the strike.
“We were prepared to do everything possible over the weekend to prevent the disruption and find a solution with the help of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. Instead of coming to the table, FlySafair escalated the disruptions by locking out the people for at least seven days,” Cronje added.
Solidarity and FlySafair have been at loggerheads over salaries and better working conditions for all the staff, including an improved roaster system for the pilots.
The union has accused the airline of being profit driven at the expense of the pilots’ physical wellbeing.
The strike, which was certified by the CCMA to proceed for two weeks, will end on 4 August.
It has caused anxiety amongst travellers after the airline issued last minute flights cancellation following pilots withdrawing from flight schedules at short notice.
“Unfortunately we have commitments from a number of our pilots to be able to fulfil the schedule today. The full schedule was for 174 flights, but we received word last night from a number of them that they were no longer available to do the flights and as a result we have had to cancel 26 flights,” FlySafair spokesperson Kirby Gordon told reporters at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday.
Gordon told Inside Politics that the airline was adequately equipped to manage and avert major disruptions following the company’s decision last week to scale down the schedule in an attempt to lessen the number of pilots before flights booking exceeded capacity.
“We have more than half of our pilots actively working, between those that are not part of the union and those that are, but have returned to work, choosing not to strike. Between this and a little rearrangement on training schedules and some commitment from our crew we have the schedule covered for the rest of the week,” he said.
Solidarity is demanding a 10% increase. But Gordon said when considering all factors including bonuses, the demand amounted to 20.1%. He described this as “ludicrous” and not economically sustainable in a financial year marked by low inflation.
Gordon said he was baffled with these demands especially given that FlySafair’s pilots were amongst the 1% of top earners in the country and top earners when compared to pilots from other airline companies, further saying that the company’s 5.7% increase on base pay was a generous offer.
“We eventually negotiated to an 11.29% increase in the cost to the company, which Solidarity rejected. You can understand then why we have had to stand firm to protect the business and the jobs of the 1700 other people who work here,” he reiterated.
When asked if the airline was willing to consider a compromise, he said: “Yes, very much so.”
He further assured that affected travellers that they would be refunded in due course.
Solidarity and FlySafair are due to meet again on Wednesday.
Solidarity has accused FlySafair’s management of adopting an aggressive stance in an effort to intimidate disgruntled pilots from participating in a strike that started at the airline on Monday.
They want more money and improved working conditions.
“FlySafair has an aggressive business style. FlySafair’s management apparently thinks aggression towards their key staff would also work. However, it does not work that way with people. If 90% of members of Solidarity vote in favour of a strike, then something is seriously amiss,” Solidarity deputy general secretary, Helgard Cronje said in a statement on Monday.
This comes after more than 200 FlySafair pilots downed tools, causing a major inconvenience to passengers. Around 8% of flights were cancelled, which left some passengers stranded at airports across the country.
Cronje accused FlySafair’s management of being unwilling to come to the negotiating table over the weekend to try prevent the strike.
“We were prepared to do everything possible over the weekend to prevent the disruption and find a solution with the help of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. Instead of coming to the table, FlySafair escalated the disruptions by locking out the people for at least seven days,” Cronje added.
Solidarity and FlySafair have been at loggerheads over salaries and better working conditions for all the staff, including an improved roaster system for the pilots.
The union has accused the airline of being profit driven at the expense of the pilots’ physical wellbeing.
The strike, which was certified by the CCMA to proceed for two weeks, will end on 4 August.
It has caused anxiety amongst travellers after the airline issued last minute flights cancellation following pilots withdrawing from flight schedules at short notice.
“Unfortunately we have commitments from a number of our pilots to be able to fulfil the schedule today. The full schedule was for 174 flights, but we received word last night from a number of them that they were no longer available to do the flights and as a result we have had to cancel 26 flights,” FlySafair spokesperson Kirby Gordon told reporters at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday.
Gordon told Inside Politics that the airline was adequately equipped to manage and avert major disruptions following the company’s decision last week to scale down the schedule in an attempt to lessen the number of pilots before flights booking exceeded capacity.
“We have more than half of our pilots actively working, between those that are not part of the union and those that are, but have returned to work, choosing not to strike. Between this and a little rearrangement on training schedules and some commitment from our crew we have the schedule covered for the rest of the week,” he said.
Solidarity is demanding a 10% increase. But Gordon said when considering all factors including bonuses, the demand amounted to 20.1%. He described this as “ludicrous” and not economically sustainable in a financial year marked by low inflation.
Gordon said he was baffled with these demands especially given that FlySafair’s pilots were amongst the 1% of top earners in the country and top earners when compared to pilots from other airline companies, further saying that the company’s 5.7% increase on base pay was a generous offer.
“We eventually negotiated to an 11.29% increase in the cost to the company, which Solidarity rejected. You can understand then why we have had to stand firm to protect the business and the jobs of the 1700 other people who work here,” he reiterated.
When asked if the airline was willing to consider a compromise, he said: “Yes, very much so.”
He further assured that affected travellers that they would be refunded in due course.
Solidarity and FlySafair are due to meet again on Wednesday.
INSIDE POLITICS