SAA strike not affecting flights

An SAA plane at OR Tambo in Kepmton Park Gauteng. Photo: Leon Nicholas

An SAA plane at OR Tambo in Kepmton Park Gauteng. Photo: Leon Nicholas

Published Jan 22, 2013

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Johannesburg - SA Airways (SAA) flights have not been affected by the current strike, the airliner said on Tuesday.

“We have activated contingency plans aimed at ensuring that the airline’s operations remain intact and that no customers and passengers are inconvenienced,” said spokesman Tlali Tlali.

He said the contingency plans ensured all flight schedules and other operations continued as normal.

“In fact, the entire SAA group has not been affected by the strike at all. Therefore claims made by NTM 1/8National Transport Movement 3/8 that flights have been delayed or cancelled are devoid of any truth and are misleading.”

Members of the NTM went on strike on Friday, accusing airline management of refusing to recognise their union.

NTM claimed that SAA refused to recognise it even though it had 1300 members.

Tlali Tlali said there was a rational basis for SAA’s decision to deny NTM recognition.

“It is important that all requirements leading to that recognition are dispensed with. There is simply nothing like partial recognition. If NTM has the requisite numbers, they must just prove that claim to an independent third party.”

He said the union must subject to the same rules as other unions which enjoyed recognition.

This included the formula used to calculate the threshold they must meet which referred to the relevant employee categories.

He said none of their representatives had challenged the outcomes of the verification process conducted by the CCMA in relation to the employee numbers.

“It is the reality they probably wish never existed. SAA calls on them to submit to the verification process if they have recruited more members and are confident that they will meet the threshold.” - Sapa

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