OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 9.15am.
SOUTH African Airways on Friday morning reached an agreement with its unions, averting a strike planned for Friday afternoon.
“The agreement, which has the unanimous endorsement of the negotiating teams of all unions, will be submitted immediately for discussion by the represented employees,” the South African Railway and Harbour Workers’ Union, Salstaff and SAA said in a joint statement.
Some 3000 SAA check-in, technical and ground staff, as well as cabin and cargo crew, were expected to go on strike at noon on Friday. Had it proceeded, the industrial action could have affected the Non-Aligned Movement summit due to get under way in Durban at the weekend.
The threatened strike was over a wage increase demand of 12%, while SAA was not prepared to go higher than a 7,5% increase. The details of the settlement were not released.