SAA pilots on ‘work-to-rule’ after wage talks collapse
A collapse in wage talks between South African Airways and pilots from the South African Airways Pilots Association and the National Transport Movement Pilot Forum has led to a "work-to-rule" industrial action.
The industrial action began on Wednesday.
Wage negotiations began in May 2024 with pilots initially demanding a 30% salary increase, which was later reduced to 15.7%.
"SAA continues to navigate significant financial pressures, operating within a challenging environment marked by elevated fuel prices, a weakened rand, intense competition, and ongoing productivity and labour cost hurdles," said SAA spokesperson Vimla Maistry.
"SAA is fully committed to reaching an agreement and will continue negotiating with the pilot body. We are also committed to maintaining open communication and working collaboratively to resolve all reasonable outstanding issues."
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It is unclear how the strike will affect the flag carrier’s flights.
“We have implemented strong contingency measures to minimize the impact of this industrial action,” added SAA’s new CEO John Lamola.
“Our focus remains on ensuring uninterrupted service and providing real-time updates on flight statuses to all stakeholders.
"Our priority is to resolve outstanding issues collaboratively while maintaining service continuity and minimising inconvenience to our valued customers while upholding the highest standards of safety and operational reliability," Lamola said.
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