JOHANNESBURG, Nov.20 (Xinhua) -- The South African Airways (SAA) will on Thursday resume local operations, said the company on Wednesday as there seems to be no end in sight to its crippling pay strike.
The employees embarked on an industrial action last Friday demanding 8 percent salary increment while SAA offered 5.9 percent.
SAA said as from Thursday they will resume flights to Cape Town, Durban and Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe).
"We are pleased that SAA is now able to increase services and to offer our customers more flights on domestic and on the African continent and that all our international flights are back on schedule. It is also important to assure SAA's customers that our operations are safe and that the airline will never compromise on this core responsibility," said Philip Saunders, SAA's chief commercial officer.
He stated that some of the workers are coming to work despite intimidation from those on strike.
"We apologize to all our passengers for all the inconvenience caused. We are continuing discussions with labor and remain committed to reach a prompt resolution in the best interests of all parties," said Saunders.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) who picketed the SAA offices in Johannesburg said they are intensifying the strike. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola told Xinhua that they have served SAA with a secondary strike notice at Air Chefs.
"The talks have broken down and we are extending our strike to other sectors. SAA have declared war on the workers by negotiating in bad faith," she said.
She stated that some of the Numsa members in the South African Civil Aviation Authority, Airport Company of South Africa and Air Chefs would join the strike.
The unions on Tuesday met the Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan who requested both sides to make sacrifices since they do not have money.
