Wage talks between local and regional airline FlySafair and trade union Solidarity are set to kick off on Thursday, three months after a debilitating strike by SAA pilots left travellers stranded and cost the national carrier millions.
Solidarity’s network organiser for the aviation industry, Remon Viviers, said the union was preparing to enter into the salary negotiations with the aim of improving the employment conditions of pilots.
This, he said, would limit the “exodus” of skilled personnel for greener pastures overseas.
“These negotiations are of critical importance as several factors are forcing pilots to consider other job opportunities. The negotiations are not only aimed at securing competitive salaries for pilots, but also at improving their working conditions and general wellbeing,” Viviers said.
He would not say what the union’s wage demands were, as talks had not yet got under way. However, the union would demand a competitive package that would stop pilots from leaving for international careers, he said.
“The union remains committed to negotiating a fair and sustainable agreement for its members and ensuring that FlySafair will be able to maintain its position as a reliable and stable airline.”
Aviation expert Guy Leitch said when one looked at the standard of living and buying power, SA pilots — while “not very badly paid” — were not among the best paid in the world. “The question is: is the pay good enough to keep pilots employed locally? The answer is no,” he said.
The wage talks at FlySafair come after pilots at SAA downed tools in December, demanding a 30% salary increase, later revised to 15.7% plus associated benefits.
The strike, which left travellers stranded when at least five routes were cancelled, ended days later when management added an additional 1% salary increase to its offer, resulting in a total salary increase of 9.47% for SAA pilots.
When contacted for comment, FlySafair chief marketing officer Kirby Gordon said the meeting on Thursday is the first engagement, “where we will work together to ensure fair and constructive outcomes for all stakeholders”.
Meanwhile, Viviers has accused FlySafair of introducing a new rostering system that has had a “significant negative impact on pilots’ quality of life”.
“The union has repeatedly expressed its concerns about the changes in the shift schedule, which they say is causing great dissatisfaction among members. If this issue is not addressed urgently, it could result in further staff losses, which could have a serious impact on the airline’s operations,” he said.
Viviers said FlySafair’s management does not realise how “disruptive and frustrating the new rostering system is for pilots”.
“This lack of understanding could potentially have a negative impact on the salary negotiations, and therefore it is crucial that a mutually beneficial solution is found — not only for the wellbeing of the pilots, but also for the sustainability of FlySafair and the broader aviation industry in SA.”
However, Gordon said: “Our rostering system, which is the same as that implemented by all other airlines in SA and many others around the world, is designed to optimise aircraft utilisation, improve operational efficiency and ultimately reduce costs — allowing us to continue offering competitive fares to our passengers.
“Simultaneously, the system is designed against global best practice to manage pilot lifestyle considerations with new features like flight swaps, bidding for specific flights before rosters are published and preferential leave bidding.
“These are all improvements on the previous system and take place within the strict parameters of flight and duty regulations and our advanced fatigue risk management framework.”
Gordon said FlySafair appreciates the “extensive and constructive consultation that took place ahead of the roster’s implementation and thanks our team for their engagement throughout the process”.
“The new system, which has been in full operation since the beginning of February, reflects both operational best practices and pilot input. Its implementation is now complete, and we are pleased to see pilots adapting to and benefiting from its enhanced flexibility and efficiency.”
In January, the National Consumer Council (NCC) said it was investigating FlySafair for the practice of overbooking. This, it said, was after complaints were lodged by passengers who had fallen victim to the practice by the airline.
In response, FlySafair claimed the practice was normal and in use worldwide. It said if fairness was to be achieved, the NCC should broaden its investigation to include all airlines in the country.
However, some local airlines distanced themselves, with CemAir, a major player in the local aviation sector, saying the practice was “unethical”.
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