Vavi: SAA management using strike to privatise airline
Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said that the money SAA was losing for cancelling today and Saturday's flights could have easily paid for workers' 8% increase demands for a year.
JOHANNESBURG - Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has accused SAA of being arrogant and not looking for a solution to help the already cash-strapped airline.
Vavi has joined workers picketing at SAA Airways Park in Kempton Park on Friday morning.
Vavi said that management was using this strike to privatise the ailing airline.
Vavi said that the money SAA was losing for cancelling today and Saturday's flights could have easily paid for workers' 8% increase demands for a year. The workers reject a 5.8% increase offer from the airline.
"It says to us that the government is not willing to take responsibility for collapsing a once-powerful, world-leading airline which used to be the training centre for everybody else in the world."
SAA Technical staff members have now also joined the Numsa and SA Cabin Crew Association members in their strike.
They're holding up placards, singing and dancing.
#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 Workers are demanding an eight percent salary increase - urgent insourcing and an end to retrenchments. pic.twitter.com/eabg2qgign
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 15, 2019