The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says they intend to appeal the Labour Court’s decision to reject an application aimed at halting job cuts at South African Airways (SAA).
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
The application was filed alongside the South African Crew Association.
Unions have argued that Business Rescue Practitioners (BRPs) appointed to help rescue the national carrier are attempting to push through job cuts without following labour laws.
The unions also want the BRPs to comply with the terms of the wage agreement signed last year for SAA to re-train workers facing retrenchments.
NUMSA’s spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola has accused the business rescue practitioners of failing to meaningfully engage with stakeholders on retrenchments.
“It is very clear that workers are being retrenched outside of the normal legal Labour Relations Act process and it seems that the Labour Court has endorsed this. The law on BRPs is very clear. They have to engage meaningfully with all stakeholders. Labour is a stakeholder and we were not engaged meaningfully at all. We are going to appeal this decision. We are waiting to make our arguments now and if we are denied leave to appeal at this court, we will petition directly to Labour Appeals Court before an audience so that we can ensure that rights are enforced.”
WATCH | Hlubi-Majola says she is shocked and disappointed at the Labour Court’s decision to reject their application to halt job cuts at SAA:
