Numsa and Comair head to CCMA in bid to avert strike

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) will meet Comair management at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Thursday in a bid to avert a wage strike.

Numsa and Comair deadlocked in negotiations over salaries with the trade union demanding:

• A salary increase of 12%
• A guaranteed 13th cheque
• A travelling allowance
• Extra shop stewards
• Shift allowance equal to 15% of basic salaries; and
• A daily overtime allowance.

Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola claimed that Comair refused to give travel allowances.

"This is a huge problem because we live in a country with a very unreliable transportation service. Workers’ shifts begin in the early hours and end very late at night. There is no reliable transportation, and this puts their lives at risk."

Hlubi-Majola also accused the airline of refusing to pay workers "equal pay for work of equal value".

"There is a significant gap between the salaries of white workers and African workers who do the same work."

Comair operates and manages British Airways and Kulula in SA. It has 2,206 South African employees, with 373 belonging to Numsa.

Comair has already told passengers that it is implementing contingency measures and working around the clock to break the deadlock.

The airline said it would call as many customers as possible 72 hours before departure to facilitate check-in and has provided additional bag-drop counters. It urged passengers to check their flight status online and check in online or at self-service kiosks at airports.

Comair made R325m in profit the latest financial year.

Hlubi-Majola said: "Comair is successful because the working class poured its energies into it. They are directly responsible for the profits that the company has been generating.  It is in all our interests to avoid a strike."