Disgruntled Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) employees may well go on strike on October 27, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) said on Wednesday. This decision follows months of wage negotiations between Acsa and the union.
Satawu is holding out for a 10% wage increase across-the-board, and an increase in the minimum wage for newly appointed employees from R3 000 a month to R3 300. Acsa is offering 7,5% and a minimum wage of R3 225.
”Acsa believes that the offer… is fair, reasonable and in line with what the rest of the market has offered,” said spokesperson Solomon Makgale in a media statement.
He said the company had budgeted a 5,8% salary increase for the 2003/4 financial year.
Working through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration the two parties did agree on various other issues:
the hourly rate for the night shift allowance;
that representatives of management and labour would facilitate transport and secure favourable rates at airports where there is a problem with the availability of transport; and
that the current housing policy would be extended by another five years.
Makgale said a principle of ”no work, no pay” would apply, and that Acsa was not expecting demonstrations from the striking workers at this stage.
All 10 of the airports controlled by Acsa (including the three major international airports at Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban) will be affected by the strike.
Acsa has put various contingency measures in place to ensure that airport operations are not disrupted, but to ensure passenger processing continues smoothly, they requested the flying public to arrive at least one hour ahead of domestic flights and two hours prior to international flights. – Sapa