Nationwide’s ”arrogant” management was squarely to blame for its recent provisional liquidation, the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) said on Thursday.
In a statement, the union — which represents about 40 potentially out-of-work Nationwide employees — said the team, led by chief executive Vernon Bricknell, had proven itself incapable of managing an airline and workers in employment.
”Our experience of Nationwide management is that it had great qualifications in union-bashing when Satawu went on strike for organisational rights two years ago …”
It said the ”arrogance” was further demonstrated when it ”shut the engines” on its employees without communicating the details to its workers who were the breadwinners with obligations to their families.
”There is no place in South Africa for such arrogant and insensitive employers, but it is indicative of an attitude in the aviation industry …”
Satawu said it had appointed liquidators to represent the interests of its members to pursue two objectives: to make sure the workers received their outstanding salaries and benefits and to secure new buyers to take over the business as a going concern.
”Should this objective be achieved all jobs can be saved and conditions of employment continued.”
The union said it had mandated its liquidators to demand that the current executive management team be excluded from any new ownership deal and management positions. — Sapa