EWN reports that as the government and business rescue practitioners (BRPs) work out a plan to save the embattled South African Airways (SAA), trade unions have also been preparing to present alternative plans for rescuing the national carrier.  

Apparently, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) and the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) have been in discussions about the various proposals, with the aim of presenting the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and the BRPs with job-saving alternatives.  In its plan, Satawu, which represents workers at SAA Technical, proposes that the airline should explore equity partnerships, which must include employee cooperatives.  The Satawu plan, which was tabled at the ANC national committee meeting on Monday by Cosatu, also suggests that SAA Technical should be a state-owned company, independent of the airline and should offer its services to a wide variety of clients.  Meanwhile, Numsa and Sacca, which launched their alternative strategy in December and have been in a labour court battle with the BRPs, maintain that the airline can be rescued without resorting to job cuts.  Apparently, a meeting will be held with the DPE and the BRPs this week to consider labour’s inputs.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Theto Mahlakoana at EWN

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