NUMSA and SACCA set the record straight regarding meeting with DPE on future of SAA

22 April 2020

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) are setting the record straight on what we regard as an unfortunate and one sided statement issued by the Department of Public Enterprises about the future of South African Airways (SAA). 

NUMSA and SACCA want to be on record that indeed together with all other unions we attended a meeting which we regarded as a very important meeting. It was a talk about having talks, which has not yet resumed.

What we only managed to talk about is a possible frame work or a draft agreement in the form of a Compact which will guide the objectives under which the negotiations about the future of SAA will take place. It will take place in the Consulting Forum, an initiative we support, and the draft agreement of the social Compact to guide this process has not yet been signed. 

Indeed, unions have been allowed to make comment about how we understand the current challenges confronting SAA and how we see its future and also how we believe the future of workers must be taken care of. In our contribution as NUMSA and SACCA and in our recollection of the contribution of other unions, it was clear that national fiscus would continue to play a role in making sure that we secure the future of the airline.

We advanced views on how workers’ jobs must be secured and how workers in the transitional phase of us building the proposed restructured airline should be cushioned. In the past we have had several long-term protracted engagements with the SAA board and the shareholder in a bid to save the airline, even before the business rescue process started. Unfortunately, these engagements lacked the openness and honesty required to avert the currently calamity that SAA currently finds itself in.

If we are to undertake another effort to save SAA, we need all parties to engage in good faith and respect the need for transparency, alignment and honesty. If we are all work together to save SAA, we have to take care of the small but important matters such as releasing press statements that reflect the discussions or the resolutions of a meeting. During this time of crisis, the need for mutual trust cannot be underestimated. It is unfortunate that we have to reject this statement issued as it does not reflect the deliberations and resolutions of the meeting.

We are disappointed by this unfortunate statement, but we remain committed to the consultation process and we will continue to engage until we reach an agreement about the future of the airline. It is our honest view that moving forward any statement issued about this process must be approved by the very same labour consultation forum which we are in the process of creating.

Issued by NUMSA and SACCA, 22 April 2020