The three-week strike at all major South African airports falling under the authority of the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) on Monday came to an end after the company and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) reached a wage settlement.
The two parties have been at loggerheads over wage increases for 2003/04, but on Monday decided to put their differences aside by settling the dispute.
Acsa communication manager Solomon Makgale said the two parties reached an agreement after three challenging weeks in the industry.
“An agreement on an 8% increase on a basic pensionable salary was entered into and will be effective, in respect of all employees inside the bargaining unit, for the period commencing September 1 and ending August 31 2004.”
The union initially demanded an across-the-board wage increase of 10% on the basic pensionable salary while Acsa management was offering 7,5%.
The union was therefore demanding R3 300 per month for all newly appointed employees compared with management’s offer of R3 225 rand.
An attempt by Acsa to revise its initial offer of 7,5% to 8% was rejected by Acsa workers.
Wage negotiations had been deadlocked since early October after mediation failed.
Satawu spokesperson Evan Abrahamse welcomed the settlement. “We were obviously gunning for a higher increase but all things considered we decided to accept.”
Makgale added that management was of the view that the settlement was fair and that both parties were comfortable with the outcome.
“Management wishes to commend Satawu members for their commitment in finding a solution to the impasse and conducting themselves in a generally peaceful and lawful manner during picketing.”
The Satawu strike, which was in its third week, was the first strike action at the company in five years, with more than 1 000 workers taking part in it at all major airports across the country falling under Acsa’s authority. — I-Net Bridge