Sacca questions govt’s silence during SAA strike
Unions have blamed government and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan for failing to intervene to rescue the state-owned entity.
KEMPTON PARK - The South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) has questioned government's silence amid a crippling strike at an already cash-strapped South African Airways (SAA).
Sacca and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) have agreed to meet with South African Airways at the CCMA on Saturday in a bid to resolve the industrial action.
Unions have blamed government and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan for failing to intervene to rescue the state-owned entity.
Sacca president Zazi Sibanyoni-Mugambi said government must not distance itself from the financial troubles at SAA.
“We don’t want a situation, come Sunday, where no intervention comes from government. It’s time, I think. We have spoken, and we don’t want to bully, we want to talk.”
#SAAstrike NUMSA and SACCA members are here at SAA Airways Park picketing. pic.twitter.com/qH7VtwYjez
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 15, 2019
#SAAstrike It’s day one of the crippling strike at SAA with workers gathering at major airports around the country. pic.twitter.com/3ejL4EIIFj
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 15, 2019
#SAAstrike Workers affiliated to unions NUMSA and SACCA have started gathering in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban to mark the start of their indefinite work stoppage. pic.twitter.com/0H2e45V02C
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 15, 2019
#SAAstrike Around 3000 workers are expected to take part in this indefinite strike. pic.twitter.com/a4qezkC8UL
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 15, 2019
The South African Federation of Trade Unions’ Zwelinzima Vavi said it seemed government was using the strike to motivate for private funding for SAA.
“So that the private sector uses the service, in every way, as an institution to increase levels of profit so that they can get much more richer.”
Meanwhile, cabin crew and SAA technical workers affiliated to Numsa and Sacca were still picketing at the employer's headquarters in Kempton Park.
