/ 22 September 2005

Union calls on CCMA to mediate with airline

Trade union Solidarity on Thursday asked the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration to appoint a mediator to resolve its dispute with Nationwide Airlines.

”In view of the public disruption that was caused by the SAA strike earlier this year, everything possible should be done to avert a strike,” said spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans.

Another motivation for CCMA intervention was Nationwide’s refusal to disclose its financial results.

”If Nationwide’s statements show that the company cannot afford our eight percent demand, we would be quite prepared to reconsider the demand,” Kleynhans said.

Solidarity’s Dirk Hermann added: ”Without financial information we measure our demand against remuneration in the industry and in such a comparison our demand is eminently fair.”

Solidarity believed ”an independent opinion party will bring the parties closer together”.

If there was no compromise, the strike would begin at 5pm on Friday, until 5pm on Monday, the union said.

”If the strike does not produce the desired results it will be resumed on the weekend of September 30th,” Kleynhans said. – Sapa