Johannesburg - The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has advised airline passengers to pack their own food as it prepares for a strike at Air Chefs over allegedly unpaid “anniversary bonuses”.
Numsa would head to the Labour Court to prevent Air Chefs from interdicting the strike, the trade union said yesterday.
“Our members will be embarking on strike action from Monday, October 7, 2019, from 6am,” it said.
The strike would affect OR Tambo Airport, Cape Town International Airport and King Shaka International Airport in Durban.
“We advise that if you intend to fly on certain airlines tomorrow (Monday) please pack a ‘skhaftin’, because there will no food or catering on the flight,” a statement said.
Flights affected were South African Airways, SA Express, SA Airlink, Mango, Air Mauritius, and Swiss Airlines, and SAA lounges and canteens and SAAT canteens.
“Our members are fed-up, because the anniversary bonus was unilaterally withdrawn by management. From January 2019 to date, no employee has received it and our members are demanding that the company must pay it because it is part of their benefit of employment. Since serving the company with a notice to strike, Air Chefs has applied for an urgent interdict in an attempt to block the strike. We condemn the backward management with the contempt they deserve. Instead of engaging us, they are racing to court to silence workers. We will do everything in our power to ensure workers Numsa said.