Africa-Press – South-Africa. After 12 days of lockout and strike action by up to 200 FlySafair pilots affiliated with Solidarity trade union, an agreement has been reached through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Helgard Cronjé, deputy general secretary of Solidarity, said the CCMA-led proposal, accepted by both parties, was the closest middle ground they could reach. “There are no winners in this process.”
The new shift roster system is now governed by fixed rules and no longer by so-called “soft rules” that management could arbitrarily adjust, he said.
Though FlySafair maintains it cannot guarantee pilots one full weekend off per month, negotiations have led to an agreement that pilots will receive at least one 60-hour weekend off during each six-week cycle, with a minimum of nine weekends off per year. Pilots required to work on their days off will be able to claim those days in the next month. They will also be allowed to exchange shifts among themselves. In addition, pilots will receive at least 10 days off per month.
On wages, the union had wanted a 10% increase.
Pilots have settled for salary increases of 6%, 6.5%, 6.8% and 6.9% respectively over the next four years. These percentages will also apply to annual adjustments of travel and accommodation allowances as well as the medical allowance. Pilots will also receive additional compensation for any hours exceeding 65 flying hours per month.
To soften the effect of the “no work, no pay” rule during the strike and lockout, pilots will receive a one-off ex gratia payment amounting to 15% of their monthly salary and will be allowed to cash in five days’ leave.
The strike saw some disruption on the first day with flights being cancelled, but the airline’s contingency measures ensured subsequent operations ran smoothly on a scaled-back schedule.
Cronjé said the conciliation process, which brings an end to the longest pilot strike and aviation sector lockout in South African history, was “exceedingly difficult”.
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