The sale of the restructured South Africa Airways (SAA) to a private consortium at an undisclosed price may provoke further labor unrest. The workers are already angry at the impending dismissal of 225 more workers

The decision of stakeholders to approve a rescue plan for the crisis-ridden South African Airways ensures that it will not get liquidated as was feared earlier. Unions fought a long battle to prevent liquidation

A new agreement between unions and the South African government will see the ailing airline retain 2,000 jobs and offer better terms in the voluntary severance package

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and the South African Cabin Crew Association made the demand after the National Treasury under Tito Mboweni announced that no money would be allotted for South African Airways which faces liquidation

Phakamile Hlubi-Majola discusses the struggle being waged by South African trade unions to save the country’s airline and above all, to protect its employees

Unions struggle for the revival of South African Airways, while the government and private creditors merely disagree over the timing of its liquidation 

The Department of Public Enterprises, which had repeatedly assured the unions that the national airline will not be liquidated, came out in support of a so-called “business rescue plan” which will result in its effective liquidation

Three major unions have offered to take up to 49% pay cut for the next two months due to the financial distress at South African Airways, while Business Rescue Practitioners have allegedly rejected the unions’ offer and recommended the winding down of the airlines

A judge the Labor Court in Johannesburg ordered the withdrawal of retrenchment notices affecting around 4,700 employees of South African Airways

The crisis facing South African Airways today is due to the failure of the state to fulfill the collective agreements on how to rescue the state company, unions allege

The leadership of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa met to discuss the various labor disputes in the country, the demands for wage hike, and the state of government-owned enterprises

The management has agreed to a wage hike, an education bursary for employees and to set up a task force to review contracts given to private companies. It will also defer retrenchments it had earlier announced