The Labour Court in Johannesburg has dismissed an urgent application for leave to appeal by unions, NUMSA and the Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) after they approached the court in an effort to stop South African Airways (SAA) from retrenching workers.
The unions approached the court after the national carrier announced the cancellation of domestic routes other than Johannesburg and Cape Town and some international routes.
BREAKING NEWS | Labour court rejects NUMSA and SACCA’s application to stop job cuts at SAA. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/9oGEHdxEbU
— SABC News Online (@SABCNewsOnline) February 14, 2020
SAA is under business rescue. The Labour Court judge said no formal notice of job cuts had been issued by SAA.
NUMSA spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says, “We believe that the Labour Court has effectively subverted our rights with this decision. It’s important to note that the BRPs at SAA are implementing a radical restructuring of the organisation. The decisions which they are taking will have a drastic and dire long-term impact on the airline. They are limiting the alternatives which can be made to save the airline and save jobs and by the time the final business rescue plan is revealed, the only alternative will be for workers to accept a drastically reduced SAA size and staff whose most lucrative routes have been lost.”
SAA’s Annual Financial Statements
Earlier this week, Members of Parliament rejected the explanation by government for the continued failure by SAA to present its Annual Financial Statements to parliament.
At a joint meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises, members said it was unacceptable that the company has not produced its financial reports since 2017.
The airline was placed under business rescue in December last year as it was no longer able to meet its financial obligation.
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