The strike, which erupted on Thursday, resulted in the cancellation of approximately 60% of SAA's flights, highlighting the frustrations of pilots who have battled excessive workloads without adequate rest. Picture: Supplied
After a tumultuous week that saw South African Airways (SAA) pilots engaging in industrial action, a conditional agreement has been reached between the airline and SAA Pilots Association (SAAPA) and the National Transport Movement - Pilots Forum (NTM-PF).
Over the next eight weeks, discussions will focus on restoring pilot benefits and managing rosters more fairly, acknowledging the sacrifices made during the difficult periods of business rescue and the COVID-19 pandemic, analysts said over the weekend.
The strike, which erupted on Thursday, resulted in the cancellation of approximately 60% of SAA's flights, highlighting the frustrations of pilots who have battled excessive workloads without adequate rest.
Unionised pilots reported feeling fatigued due to an overwhelming schedule, with many working beyond the recommended limits set by the Civil Aviation Authority—over 1 000 flight hours a year.
Ephraim Mphahlele, general secretary of the NTM-PF, said the roster remained the pressing issue in upcoming negotiations.
“We are still to finalise the terms of the conditional agreement before we look at the scope of the main agreement but the biggest issue for pilots is the rostering,” Mphahlele said.
“They were looking to conclude an agreement on a fair roster. Pilots are fatigued because of the rostering and it is one of the biggest things that must be addressed.”
In a time when SAA is rebuilding its operational capacity, it faces challenges stemming from the sacrifices made by pilots in the pre-business rescue phase.
Many captains agreed to significant salary cuts that equalised their pay with first officers, despite their increased responsibilities as senior pilots. This has led to calls for a thorough review of the salary structure to ensure that it accurately reflects the levels of responsibility held by captains.
Captain Sibusiso Nxumalo, SAAPA spokesperson, said restructuring of salaries according to the proper grades was likely to be amongst the issues tabled in the working out of a main agreement.
“I cannot comment, of course, on the concessions made in the conditional agreement but both parties are going back to their principals to engage on the immediate demands. There is so much data out there to be looked at. There will be discussions on restructuring the salary structure,” Nxumalo said.
Moreover, another contentious issue lies with the airline’s transformation agenda, which was heavily scrutinised during the retrenchment process when SAA entered business rescue.
SAAPA claimed that the focus on retrenching mainly white males contradicted the principles of transformation, framing it as discriminatory.
Phuthego Mojapele, an aviation analyst, said the pilots’ demands, including calls for 15% salary increments, stemmed from prior agreements where pilots who did not take voluntary service packages accepted substantial pay cuts in anticipation of future compensation.
Mojapele said the stability the airline was feeling could not have been achieved without the pilots who have stood by the airline, hence the upcoming negotiations should consider their sacrifice.
“A captain’s responsibilities are huge, they cannot be equated with first officers in remuneration, there are just a lot of things that SAA management has to take on board,” Mojapele said.
“As management says they have a positive balance sheet, they should reciprocate to those that have helped them male the achievement.”
SAA’s interim CEO, John Lamola, said that ongoing discussions will also explore various workplace adjustments aimed at enhancing pilot productivity.
“As part of the agreement that broke the deadlock in wage negotiations, continuous enterprise improvement programs will proceed in the coming weeks. We are committed to implementing work-life concessions that should enhance the productivity of our world-acclaimed pilots,” Lamola said.
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