Next 48hrs crucial to save SAA, say unions

Labour unions in South Africa say the next forty-eight hours will be crucial to the survival of the state’s struggling SAA and SA Express airlines. 

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) made the announcement after meeting with public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan on Tuesday in a last-ditch attempt to save the airlines and the workers’ jobs.

That day SA Express (SAX) was placed under provisional liquidation in the South Guateng High Court.

The unions said they raised this with Gordhan and were “satisfied that there is a commitments from government to work together with Numsa and Sacca (and other unions) in earnest to find a sustainable solution to the challenges facing SAX before the return date in the first week of June 2020 when the court will decide as to whether SAX will be placed in final liquidation”. 

The unions also advised the government to consider the capitalisation of SAA and SAX in order to save both companies from total collapse.

They called on staff not to sign redundancy agreements, saying this would only help those “who are intent on destroying SAA and strip its assets to the detriment of all South Africans”. 

The unions said further talks would continue over the next 48 hours between labour groups and government over the possibility of a business rescue plan that suits all stakeholders.

“We want to assure workers and our members that we will spare no moment in furthering their interests and address their fears under the current difficult and overwhelming conditions”, they stated. 

Photo: SAA