The strike by SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) members at major airports around the country entered its seventeenth day on Saturday.
Equity Aviation Services spokesperson Herman Fleischman said following negotiations on Friday between Satawu and Equity Aviation Services — a ramp and baggage handling firm — at the headquarters of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration, the two parties had not resolved the dispute.
”After being told to come prepared, Satawu did not come to the meeting with a mandate. They also rejected the offer which was previously tabled by us.”
Satawu were demanding an eight percent salary increase while the company had offered them six percent. There was also a dispute about working hours.
Fleischman said Equity Aviation Services wanted a 45-hour week, which was the ”norm in our industry”.
He said Equity Aviation Services had made significant moves on their offer but SATAWU had made none.
Fleischman said the offer Equity Aviation Services made to Satawu was reasonable and that Satawu should realise that the strike was not having any effect on them.
The strike was not disrupting any airport activities and it was ”business as usual”, Fleischman said.
Satawu spokesperson Evan Abrahamse was not immediately available for comment. – Sapa