FlySafair pilots strike: Mediation process begins amid flight cancellations

AS the FlySafair pilot’s strike enters day two, the deadlock between management and trade union Solidarity now forms part of a Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) process.

On Monday afternoon Solidarity said it welcomed FlySafair’s decision to participate in the mediation process as requested by the CCMA, in terms of section 150 of the Labour Relations Act.

Solidarity said approximately 90% of FlySafair’s pilots affiliated with the union declared their willingness to strike for one day and in response, FlySafair indicated that they would lock out the pilots for a period of seven days.

Disruptions could last up to two weeks and Solidarity said it is determined to resolve the situation at the negotiating table for the sake of its members and passengers.

FlySafair Monday morning said its hands were tied after the company received last-minute updates from certain pilots informing the carrier that they would not make it to work on Monday morning, forcing the cancellation of at least 26 flights.

In an interview with IOL at the OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer for FlySafair, said the interruption of flights is regrettable and has left some passengers stranded.

"What we are experiencing at the moment is that we have an industrial action on the part of our pilots, they have embarked on a stay-away strike which started today. They have deemed it to happen for two weeks. 

"Unfortunately, we had a number of commitments from a number of pilots to be able to cover our schedule today. Late last night, we received information from several of them, that they would be unable to fulfil their duties. As a result, we have had to cancel 26 of 174 flights today. So there has been cancellations which we apologise very deeply to our customers who have been stranded. Unfortunately, our hands are tied in this regard, because of the industrial action that is going on," he said.

As an intervention, Gordon told IOL that Flysafair teams were assisting customers, and in some instances giving refunds.

"Our teams are here and available to assist as much as they possibly can. We have booked passengers on other flights in the future, and with public carriers, where we have that available. Where that is not an option, we are issuing immediate refunds as quickly as we can," said Gordon.

"We continue to approach them (the negotiations) with good faith. At this stage, we are still quite far apart. Unfortunately, the unions' demands are very high. They have been speaking about a demand of a 10 percent increase in salaries," said Gordon.

"Actually, when one considers the full cost-to-company, that's more than 20.1 percent, which at the back of R1.8 to R2 million salary, which puts pilots within the top one percent of earners in this country, you can understand that it is just an untenable position."

According to Helgard Cronjé, deputy general secretary of public industry at Solidarity, there are still doubts about whether FlySafair is approaching the situation with the necessary urgency.

“FlySafair underestimated how disruptive the lock-out will be. It is costing them too much and the passengers are paying the price.

“Still, FlySafair has indicated that they are willing to start the negotiation process only by Wednesday. As a result, thousands more passengers will be affected before FlySafair comes to the table,” said Cronjé.

Cape Times