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Fin24 reports that only three weeks after SA Airways (SAA) took the skies after being grounded for about a year and a half, there were scenes of labour protest outside its offices.
Most of the protestors were employees who opted to take part in a government run training layoff scheme programme, rather than take a voluntary severance package (VSP) during the airline's business rescue process. The protest action was organised by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca). Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said on Friday the employees who opted for the training programme feel "overlooked". She explained: "Our challenge is that these people are sitting at home while the airline has started operations again. SAA makes them apply for positions but then they do not get the job. So, they are in limbo." SAA resumed operations on 23 September this year after going into business rescue in December 2019. In terms of SAA's rescue plan, the workforce had to be reduced from about 4,700 to only about 1,000. In an effort to save more jobs, it was proposed in consultations between the Department of Public Enterprises and unions that another 1,000 employees be placed on a temporary training layoff scheme for a year so that they could then be absorbed into the new airline as and when new positions become available. The training scheme option did not form part of the rescue plan and no money was allocated for this option. SAA said on Friday that a total of 225 employees were part of the temporary training layoff scheme. If they completed the programme and there was no job for them, they would still qualify for a severance package. They started receiving a stipend as from 31 March this year. But Sacca and Numsa accuse SAA of re-employing staff who took severance packages - instead of placing employees on the training layoff scheme programme.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carin Smith at Fin24 (subscriber access only)
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