Comair has issued a statement refuting reports that the company has been issued a secondary industry strike notice by Numsa.
“Comair would like to clarify that there are two different processes pertaining to Numsa i.e. (1) Comair and Numsa disputes and (2) Calls by Numsa for a secondary strike,” the company revealed in a statement.
According to Wrenelle Stander, Comair’s Joint CEO, Numsa has been issued two certificates of non-resolution for disputes about both Comair's ground and cabin crew.
Stander said before a strike happens, Numsa will conduct a secret ballot of its members, and thereafter give Comair 48 hours' notice. Comair has not yet received a notice of intention to strike.
‘We continue to engage with all union stakeholders and are committed to reaching a “win-win” outcome for all parties in involved - in a way that ensures business sustainability.
“Comair has contingency plans in place should it is ground and/or cabin crew choose to exercise their right to strike,” said Stander.
The statement revealed that Numsa has called for a secondary industry strike in support of the current South African Airways (SAA) and South African Airways Technical (SAAT) strike.
“Comair has not yet been served the required seven days’ notice for a secondary industry strike.
“We have contingency plans in place to mitigate the impact of the SAAT strike, however, our operations are currently under pressure, and we are experiencing disruption to our flight schedule. Safety remains our foremost priority while serving our customers remain our focus,” added Stander.
Comair apologised for the inconvenience caused to our customers’ travel plans and revealed they were doing everything possible to keep customers informed and to minimise the impact of any strike action.
Comair customers are requested to check the latest flight information on the relevant websites (ba.com or kulula.com), and customers with enquiries can call 011 921 0222 for British Airways or 086 158 5852 for kulula.