No flight disruptions as Comair, Numsa reach deal
British Airway’s and Kulula holding company, Comair, says that flights will not be disrupted over the festive season after reaching an agreement with metal workers union Numsa on Thursday.
The union was demanding a salary hike of 12%, a guaranteed 13th cheque, traveling allowance, a 15% of basic salary as a shift allowance, as well as a daily overtime allowance.
Talks had deadlocked last week, with the union threatening strike action if their demands were not met.
Comair said in a statement released yesterday afternoon that it and the union had made sufficient progress and would continue with discussions on salary increases on 11 January next year.
The company’s executive director Wrenelle Stander said that before yesterday’s meeting that it would keep operations running throughout the festive season even if talks had failed and workers downed tools.
Three hundred and seventy-five of the company’s 2,200 employees are represented by Numsa, with the union’s main sticking point being that of their travel allowance.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said previously that with the profits Comair enjoyed in 2017/2018 there were no excuses for the company to lavish bonuses on executives while neglecting workers.
According to Jim, Comair had made a profit of R6 billion in the last financial year.