South Africa’s biggest airline locks out some employees

South Africa’s largest airline said its services are operating normally despite some members of its cabin crew starting industrial action overnight after wage talks deadlocked. 

FlySafair’s flights are fully crewed and operating on schedule Tuesday, the airline said in a statement.

That’s after it didn’t reach a resolution with the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) in talks yesterday, prompting SACCA members to start a work stoppage at midnight. 

The labour union rejected the company’s latest offer, which includes a 5.7% wage increase, a new 7.5% annual bonus, pay progression and additional monthly allowances, according to the airline. South Africa’s annual consumer-inflation rate was 3.4% in September. 

The dispute is over how the airline compensates for a so-called lunch-hour sacrifice, said SACCA Deputy President Christopher Shabangu, adding he was hopeful of reaching a resolution soon. 

FlySafair confirmed that SACCA had also raised questions related to the interpretation of certain provisions of the Labour Relations Act and agreed to refer these matters, together with the union, to the Department of Labour for clarity and guidance. 

“These matters are separate and not the cause of this industrial action,” said Kirby Gordon, the airline’s chief marketing officer. “This strike, and the settlement agreement that needs to be signed, is fundamentally about compensation and about members feeling heard, both within the organization.”

The airline also said it would apply to the ​Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration to mediate the talks as the dispute has public interest implications. 

The low-cost carrier, which controls 60% of the domestic market and transports on average 30,000 passengers a day, in August reached a pact with its pilots over wages and work schedules, ending 12 days of lockouts and strike action.