FlySafair has confirmed that its labour dispute with the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA), which resulted in the airline locking out cabin crew staff, has ended.
The two parties reached an agreeement on Thursday, 13 November, bringing an end to the employer-initiated staff lockout that began on Monday, 3 November.
The lockout was initiated after negotiations around wage increases – among other demands like a revision of the roster – stalled.
FlySafair has offered “a 5.7% wage increase, a 7.5% annual bonus, monthly allowances, and pay progression”, which was rejected by the union.
However, FlySafair says that the final agreement that was now reached with SACCA is “materially similar to the proposal tabled by the company last Friday.”
Though it did not disclose the details of the deal, it said the agreement ensures labour stability among FlySafair’s cabin crew for the next four years.
It added that it has the same deal with its pilots – an agreement that was reached in August after a similar debacle wherein the airline saw its pilots strike over wages and work schedules.
With both deals in place, FlySafair is confident that it has locked in four years of labour stability among all of its crew.
Business as usual
This deal comes at a critical time for South Africa’s largest airline, as the G20 Leaders’ Summit is a week away.
Flysafair said that throughout the lockout, it’s operations remained fully stable and, unlike with its previous pilot strike, no flights were cancelled.
The airline now anticipates a strong period of growth and dependable operations as it increases capacity ahead of the G20 summit and the busy festive travel season.
“We’re very pleased to have reached an agreement that provides long-term stability and
recognises the valuable contribution of our cabin crew,” said Kirby Gordon, Chief
Marketing Officer at FlySafair .
“This agreement allows us to move forward with confidence into an important period for both the company and the broader aviation sector.”
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