GEORGE NEWS - A battle is brewing between the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and the senior management of Comair. Ground personnel at the Port Elizabeth, East London and George airports are facing the possible continuation of a reduced salary, amounting to 70% of their pre-Covid earnings.
The situation stems from the early times of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, when the airline ran into financial difficulties and was put under business rescue.
Collective agreement
In the latest development Numsa said in a strongly worded statement that they reject any attempts by the business rescue practitioners at Comair to change the working conditions of employees. They also reject attempts to extend a reverse collective agreement made during this time.
"We demand that from the 1st of January 2022 all employees will receive their salaries in full and will no longer be paid only 70% of their salaries," reads the statement. It states that employees accepted a collective agreement for a 70% salary "after Comair was grounded due to financial difficulties, and then subsequently placed under business rescue". However, the business is now fully operational, it says, "and they are reluctant to say when business rescue comes to an end."
Stephen Forbes of Comair said the reduced salary is "in keeping with a collective agreement [that] employees signed". He said Comair staff have received 70% of their salaries for the past year, since the airline recommenced operations in December 2020. "The majority of employees voted for the restructured remuneration packages in the interests of the long-term sustainability of the company."
Permanent salary reduction
This corresponds with Numsa's statements. What they are unhappy about is Comair's intention to not reinstate the full salaries of all the staff members. Forbes said that the agreement expires on 31 December, after which the majority of employees will receive 100% of their salaries.
However, he said, "an exception are employees in Port Elizabeth, East London and George. A section 189 process was implemented in July 2021 and following extended conversations with labour, which the CCMA facilitated, it was agreed to implement a permanent reduction in salaries for customer service agents at the Port Elizabeth, East London and George airports."
Numsa is concerned that implicated workers will remain on 70% salary indefinitely and will not receive any benefits in the form of medical aid and provident fund. The union finds it worrying that "a conversation has been started in the company to extend the 70% salary into next year, particularly for the Comair stations in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) East London and George".
Numsa says the business rescue practitioners issued a section 189 in July this year in which "they are threatening" to move workers at the three airports from permanent employment with benefits, to becoming contract workers, and "paying them an hourly rate with no benefits".
Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, Numsa national spokesperson, told George Herald on Tuesday that from 1 January all staff must receive their full salaries. She stressed that Comair must consult with Numsa as the recognised trade union before taking steps such as those mentioned.
She said that Numsa is keeping its options open, including the possibilities of going to court or having a strike.
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