Numsa warns strike action could affect Comair flights

 Wage talks between the union representing more than 700 workers and the company, have deadlocked. 

Among other things - employees want a pay rise of 12%, a guaranteed 13th cheque, a travel allowance and overtime.  

Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, who's with NUMSA, says the airline made a profit of R6-billion in the last financial year outdoing the previous year's performance.  

She says this is thanks to the efforts of workers, who should be getting a piece of the pie. 

"If we embark on the strike, it will be a national strike affecting services for these airlines at all major airports internationally. We believe that the management of Comair is abusing and exploiting workers. This is a company which is making massive profits and yet they are denying workers an increase," she said.

Comair has responded in a statement saying that the industrial action, set to begin next week, cannot go ahead legally. 

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The airline says it's proud of its reputation as a top employer.  

It says it's applied for assistance from the CCMA and that talks are scheduled to begin in January.  

On what the union's asking for, Comair says the proposed shift-pattern change is inefficient and costly and that the salary discrepancies relate to a handful of employees. 

Meanwhile, all of CemAir's flights have been grounded by the SA Civil Aviation Authority for 24 hours until 1.30pm today. 

The authority says this is due to non-compliance with aviation regulations. It's asked Cemair to provide proof of compliance by the afternoon. 

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