A week after they kicked off a crippling strike that saw 200 South African Airways (SAA) flights grounded worldwide, the airline announced on Friday that it had agreed with its striking workers to resume work on Saturday.
Acting SAA chief executive Zuks Ramasia said the airline and employees belonging to the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the South African Airways Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) have ratified the deal that would see the 3,000 strikers return to their work places to resume duties by the weekend.
“This agreement with the unions will help promote that atmosphere of positivity, inclusivity and sustainable growth,” Ramasia said.
The deal includes an increase of 5.9 percent on total cost of employment retrospective to 1 April 2019, which will be paid in the February and March 2020 payrolls, subject to availability of funding.
She said that the fact that SAA offered a 5.9 percent salary increase despite the grave financial challenges it is facing “is to recognise the company’s employees for the important contributions they make to the overall success of the company, economic development, and in-bound and out-bound tourism.”
The workers had initially demanded an eight percent wage rise, which was later reduced to 6.5 percent.
Following the deal, NUMSA and SACCA agreed to call off the industrial action, with its members expected to return to work by Saturday.
NM/jn/APA