Mango strike continues, Solidarity and airline resume wage talks

Published Oct 18, 2017

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JOHANNESBURG - Trade union Solidarity will on Wednesday return to the negotiating table with South African low-cost carrier, Mango Airline amid an ongoing pilots' strike over wage hikes.

Mango airline's flight crews downed tools at 5 am on Monday morning after wage negotiations with Solidarity collapsed. Solidarity is demanding an 8.5 percent wage hike, but Mango is only offering 6 percent.

The airline said several of its flights had been affected by the strike and it has been forced to use alternative operators to cater for passengers.

Solidarity, which represents 95 percent of Mango's staff, said Mango management on Tuesday requested the union to return to the discussion table in an attempt to break the crippling impasse. In a statement on Wednesday Solidarity deputy general-secretary, Deon Reyneke, said that the union has agreed to return to the negotiating table. 

"As we said from the outset, we have been willing to negotiate all along but the company was the one who turned its back on the collective bargaining process," Reyneke said. Mango's spokesperson Sergio dos Santos was not immediately available for comment.

- AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY 

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