Public Enterprises supports BR practitioners lock out of SAA pilots over new employment conditions
17 Dec 2020
The Department of Public Enterprises supports the decision by South African Airways (SAA) Business Rescue Practitioners to lockout members of the union, the South African Airways Pilots Association (SAAPA) after protracted negotiations failed to yield agreements on new conditions of employment for a future restructured airline.
As a shareholder on behalf of government, the department believes that one of the critical areas for a restructured SAA to get off the ground is to reduce the high cost structure caused by onerous contracts and high salaries and perks implemented under SAAPA’s Regulating Agreement (RA).
This the best opportunity to agree on new employment conditions, which will result in the restructured, sustainable, agile and technology savvy airline.
Unfortunately, the RA that was signed in 1988 is a financial burden to the national airline as its primary objective is to preserve undeserved privileges accrued through unjust laws that preserved aviation careers to a small minority in this country.