NUMSA and SACCA reject the unlawful and unfair retrenchment of workers at SAA
7 February 2020
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) condemns the Business Rescue Practitioners decision to cancel 11 routes. This means that on the 29th of February all domestic destinations, including Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, will cease to be operated by SAA. This will have a devastating impact on workers and their families because it effectively means that SAA in KZN, PE, Durban and East London will be closed down and workers will be retrenched.
No consultation whatsoever has taken place with labour as required by law and the BRP has acted in flagrant disregard of the provisions of the Labour Relations Act. Instead of consultation, labour was merely informed of this decision and its devastating consequences in respect of job losses and the BRP’s even had the audacity to release the press statement announcing their decision, while we were still in the meeting discussing details!
Of immense concern is that the BRPs were unable to provide any rational basis for the cancelation of routes and in fact confirmed that this was a plan which was previously devised by SAA management - the very same management which is responsible for the demise of SAA and who turned a blind eye to rampant looting and corruption at the airline. Corruption and mismanagement are the reasons for SAA’s predicament.
Not only has the BRP failed to comply with the provisions of the Labour Relations Act in respect of meaningful joint consensus seeking consultations during which the rationale of their decision could be interrogated and alternatives proposed, but the BRP also failed to date in their core statutory responsibility to produce a Business Rescue Plan and to take positive and decisive steps towards saving SAA in the most optimum manner possible for the benefit of all stakeholders.