Major development in FlySafair pilot strike

FlySafair has decided to participate in a mediation process with its pilots, who the airline locked out today after the workers threatened to go on strike over discontent with wage agreements and working conditions.

This comes after around 90% of FlySafair’s pilots affiliated with the trade union Solidarity agreed to go on a one-day strike.

After Solidarity gave notice of the one-day strike, FlySafair decided to impose a seven-day consecutive lock-out of the pilots. This prompted Solidarity to extend the strike to 14 days.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) has offered its help, under section 150 of the Labour Relations Act, to resolve the dispute between Solidarity and FlySafair.

Over the past weekend, Solidarity said it agreed to this mediation process, while FlySafair refused.

However, later on Monday afternoon, Solidarity announced that FlySafair has now decided to participate in the mediation process.

“Although FlySafair had the opportunity to defuse this labour dispute this past weekend – and spare thousands of passengers the frustration of a strike – they have only now, after widespread publicity and frustration, reluctantly agreed,” the trade union claimed.

FlySafair, South Africa’s largest airline, cancelled about 12% of its flights on Monday as it prepared for the pilots’ strike.

Solidarity’s deputy general secretary of public industry, Helgard Cronjé, said there are still doubts about whether FlySafair is approaching the situation with the necessary urgency.

Despite this, he claimed Solidarity’s request to negotiate with FlySafair on Monday is not being taken seriously.

“FlySafair underestimated how disruptive the lock-out will be. It is costing them too much and the passengers are paying the price,” he said.

“Still, FlySafair has indicated that they are willing to start the negotiation process only by Wednesday. As a result, thousands more passengers will be affected before FlySafair comes to the table.”

“Solidarity hopes that FlySafair’s agreement to the mediation process will mark the beginning of real solutions – solutions that address the concerns of their pilots with genuine seriousness and that could pave the way for improved working relations in the future.”

The catalyst for the strike came when more than half the pilots working for FlySafair failed to reach an agreement on wages with the airline.

Bloomberg reported that most of the 211 pilots represented by Solidarity rejected the airline’s final offer of a 5.7% raise.

Cronjé said the pilots feel exhausted, ignored and unappreciated. He said there is a growing sense of neglect and burnout among members and a crumbling relationship between the crew and management. 

“Working conditions have deteriorated, with flight schedules leading to serious exhaustion for our members,” he said. 

“Pilots have warned that the current situation is not sustainable.” He added that Solidarity’s demands are not unreasonable and call for fairness, respect and transparency to restore trust in FlySafair’s management.

The union’s members are demanding 10.5% in the first year and inflation-linked increases in the subsequent two years.

“The breach of trust between crew and management has reached a critical point where the future of many pilots at FlySafair is uncertain,” Cronjé warned.