SAA outstanding payout to the employees and progressive move on the restructuring processes directed on resuscitating the National Airline, SAA.
The South African Transport & Allied Workers Union is extremely worried about the legal battles between some Unions and SAA BRPs and DPE, a case that its determination will be based on the reserved judgement to be soon provided by the Labour Court. SATAWU find itself being in a situation wherein our members both at SAA and its subsidiaries suffer the consequences of some Unions who claim to be advancing the interest of their members, whilst in the process are digging graves of the same members on their legal pursuit of the Salary Settlement agreement which was signed by majority unions at SAA, which by extension would lead a pathway on releasing the allocated funds to SAA subsidiaries.
Subsequent to the release of funds to the DPE amounting to R1.3b which was meant for the payment of VSPs, Unions engaged on the basis of which such payment should be effected, with a full commitment that the transitional process at SAA should not to the extent to our imagination, result to more casualties of employees joining the long queues of employment, however, present a transitional process that will overtime present employment opportunities to the employees. The majority unions and non – unionised employees at SAA signed a settlement agreement, reasoning with the circumstances prevailed in the processes of resuscitating SAA. Interesting to note is the settlement agreement which was effected with some minority Unions disserting the processes, whilst their members took a considered view on accepting such a settlement agreement
SATAWU believes the legal process being fought at the Labour Court is a matter that should have been dealt with internally premised from the Leadership Core Forum founding principles, that directed parties to engage on their differences on matters of interest. The extent of which the legal battle between these trade unions as known in public, had put the majority of SAA subsidiary employees in a dire situation which is nothing than the signs of material interest to those leading this legal battle and challenging the Unions and claiming the settlement agreement as unfair and unlawful.
SATAWU, as a progressive trade union indeed sympathises with the remaining SAA employees who may still not being paid, if there are still any, given the volume of employees who directly called SAA BRPs/Management to pay out their dues. SATAWU further note the DPE application which enjoined the Court proceeding between these Unions and SAA BRPs, that in our legal observations being to keep its commitment to end the plight of the remaining employees of SAA, by extension the release of the remaining funds to SAA subsidiaries. It is our view this court process is nothing than a disruptive process which will result to more casualties than we have, worse to mention those that still believe to the frivolous case referred by those citing the unlawfulness of the agreement that most Unions and majority of non β unionised employees signed including their own members who challenge their limited legal mindset on the situation at hand.
To this end, SATAWU calls upon all the employees of SAA and its subsidiaries to place trust upon the basis of the processes SATAWU followed this far on fast-tracking the final payout of SAA employees and the allocation of the funds that which are directed to bring life to the Subsidiaries. We remain concerned that some in our midst seem to be lacking that which is required of a trade union to prevail beyond political ambitions, which seems to have engulfed their personal egos, but walk the path with us on leading to SAA once more taking to the skies with pride and support of all South Africans from different walks of life who are looking forward to this happening.
We will continue doing that which we believe is the best for workers in the aviation industry, with more attention being to SAA as is a national asset that we are all proud of.
SATAWU is equally worried by the work that the SAA BRPs did during their tenure at SAA. Somewhere after SAA BRPs applied for their extended stay at SAA, SATAWU sharply objected to such application, however, given the provisions that required a legal standing for this objection, we decided to raise our dissatisfaction and disapproval of such extension at our Leadership Core Forum and insisted on our call for the termination of their services. Worse of all this is the absence of that which they were assigned to do, as even the business model that came about through the efforts of the DPE and Organised Labour at the LCF platform. We are working on assessing and analysing their hefty pockets as they exit SAA and commit to taking necessary measures on whether payment that was made to them is equal to the work they performed in this State-Owned Company. If a need arises, we will take all necessary legal measures on ascertaining the financial resources they milked out SAA as compared to the work they performed during their unnecessary stay at SA.
To this end as always has been the case, SATAWU is committed on work with the DPE, SAA and its subsidiariesβ management and their Boards on making the dreams of all South African to see SAA back to the skies.
Issued by SATAWU Secretariat SATAWU Head Office
For more inquiries, please contact:
SATAWU General Secretary: 082 951 1181/0826604793
SATAWU Deputy General Secretary: 071 021 1903/066 236 7799
SATAWU Aviation Coordinator: 076 402 0308