SAA pilots start their strike: 'Airline management has drawn a line in the sand'
The business rescue process left pilots earning 50% less while other employees’ salaries were cut by 10%. SA Flyer Magazine Editor Guy Leitch chats with Africa Melane.
The South African Airways logo displayed on a computer screen. Picture: Artur Widak / NurPhoto via AFP
Africa Melane interviews Guy Leitch, Editor at SA Flyer Magazine.
Listen below.
South African Airways (SAA) is bracing for significant disruption as its pilots started striking at 7 am on Thursday (5 December).
The South African Airways Pilots Association (SAAPA) has called for the strike after wage negotiations reached an impasse.
Originally, SAAPA demanded a 30% salary increase in May but later revised their request to 15.7%, including benefits.
In response, SAA offered an 8.46% increase.
Leitch emphasises that the airline cannot afford to leave pilots’ salaries unchanged, warning that failure to address this issue could lead to a loss of staff.
"The airline management has drawn a line in the sand."
- Guy Leitch, Editor – SA Flyer Magazine
During the airline’s business rescue process, pilots' salaries were reduced by 50%, while other staff members experienced only a 10% cut. As a result, pilots are seeking to recover lost earnings.
Leitch says that while recent events may seem sudden, negotiations have been ongoing for 18 months, with the gap being contested for the past nine months.
He clarifies that this strike is not a one-day event. Rather, it will continue indefinitely until a resolution is reached, with no set end date.
"It's not as though they suddenly sprung and said, 'Oh, let's try and give the airline maximum trouble just before the festive season'."
- Guy Leitch, Editor – SA Flyer Magazine
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