Trade union Solidarity today accused low cost airline FlySafair of deliberately refusing to recognise Solidarity in the workplace in order to prevent Solidarity from forcing the airline to pay market-related salaries to its pilots.

According to Solidarity Deputy Chief Executive Johan Kruger, it is clear that the airline is doing everything in its power to prevent the pilots’ trade union of choice to negotiate for salary increases that would bring them closer to market-related remuneration.

“FlySafair is worried that Solidarity will become a collective bargaining agent that will fight for better remuneration for our members who are underpaid. FlySafair is thus quite content to pay highly trained staff salaries that are not on par with the market and is therefore continuing to undermine Solidarity’s rights as a role-player in the workplace,” Kruger said.

According to Kruger FlySafair is also resisting a Constitutional Court hearing in terms of which minoritarian trade unions may go on strike to obtain recognition in a workplace. “FlySafair is sticking its head in the proverbial sand and is pretending not to notice the direction legislation and case law have taken which determines that minoritarian trade unions with a substantial interest in a workplace can be recognised,” Kruger said.

Kruger also confirmed that the CCMA had indicated that the advisory award on the dispute would be given early next week. “We trust that the award will confirm that the pilots’ constitutional right to go on strike is valid in these circumstances”, Kruger said.

 

Issued by Solidarity