Although hopes were running high in some quarters on Monday that the 26-day-old strike by airport baggage handlers might soon come to an end, it would appear there is still some way to go.
This follows a high level meeting last week between the employer, Equity Aviation Services, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
Herman Fleischmann, executive manager of customer care and marketing at Equity Aviation, said certain proposals had been put to Cosatu which was representing the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) at last week’s meeting.
”We believe a solution has been found. We hope they (the unions) will come back to us soon.”
Fleischmann said striking workers were losing out as they were not being paid, while the industrial action was not affecting baggage handling operations at major airports.
He said there were no disruptions at the Durban and George airports. The focus of the action appeared to be at Johannesburg International Airport.
”The staff are losing all this money yet services are not disrupted,” said Fleischmann.
Rich Mkhondo, head of communications at South African Airways (SAA), said the only effect the strike was having was that ”people are working harder”.
He said although SAA staff were helping out where they could, he was hopeful the strike would be resolved soon.
Evan Abrahamse, national sector coordinator for aviation at Satawu, confirmed the meeting between Cosatu and Equity. However, he said Cosatu had not yet reported back to them.
He said Satawu had written to the employer suggesting formal talks be resumed.
He said the strike was being well supported by most of the 700 affected union members.
Equity Aviation employs in the region of 2 000 workers nationally.
The African National Congress last week urged all parties involved in the dispute to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible to resolve differences around working conditions and salaries. – Sapa