FlySafair agreement ‘within reach’ but core issues remain unresolved, Solidarity says

Negotiations between FlySafair and Solidarity, the union representing the airline’s striking pilots, appear to have made progress, but issues surrounding the controversial rostering system remain unresolved, the union said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Solidarity said these roster issues, rather than money, were now at the core of the dispute, which is currently being mediated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

The union said it believed the strike could have been resolved by Saturday, had FlySafair chosen to continue with the negotiations beyond 7pm on Friday evening.

FlySafair submitted a final offer via e-mail on Saturday morning, Solidarity said, but this failed to address the “core issues” that pilots have been raising for some time.

It said the airline’s final salary offer for the next three years was largely acceptable.

However, important concessions, such as a more predictable shift roster and at least one weekend off per month, were not adequately addressed in Saturday's communication, which Solidarity felt contained too much “vague” language.

The union also called for a flight roster and scheduling committee with "real authority", in which pilots and FlySafair management could meet at least twice per year to address roster concerns.

“The current unpredictable scheduling system causes significant stress, exhaustion, and disruption in pilots’ personal lives – leading to frustration and resignations among pilots,” Solidarity said.

ALSO READ: Why FlySafair pilots are striking - it's more than just money

“Pilots carry enormous responsibility daily - they operate aircraft worth hundreds of millions of rands and transport thousands of passengers.”

On certain days, the pilots start work at 11am and only finish after midnight, the union claims, and for early flights, they must be up by 3am to get ready and prepare.

“In this context, adequate rest is not just desirable but essential. The current scheduling system, which functions algorithmically and without any discernible pattern, makes planning and family life virtually impossible. This was not the case under the previous roster system,” the union said.

Throughout the past week, FlySafair continued to run a stable, albeit reduced flight timetable.

However, there are fears that flight cancellations could be necessary next week, should the strike not be resolved. This is because the pilots who are currently operating FlySafair’s reduced schedule could reach their legal flying time limit by then, The Citizen reports.

Earlier in the week, the airline said its pilots were among the best-paid professionals in the country, earning between R1.8 million and R2.3 million per year.

With regard to rostering, FlySafair said its system, which is standard across the global airline industry, allowed pilots to receive their full monthly rosters by the 20th of the preceding month, enabling personal planning and scheduling. It said the system also included a structured marketplace to facilitate duty swaps.

Further to that, FlySafair said its captains spent an average of 63 hours in the cockpit last month, which is well within regulatory limits set by the Civil Aviation Authority, IATA and ICAO, which cap flight duty at 100 hours per month.

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