Press Release
September, 20 2005
Nationwide Airlines accuse union of "deliberately misleading" workers over pay strike
Nationwide Airlines has accused the trade union, Solidarity of deliberately misleading statements regarding their payment to airline staff.
In a statement issued yesterday, Peter Griffiths, financial director of Nationwide Airlines, said the carrier believed that Solidarity's intention to call on members at Nationwide to strike had been taken "without proper consideration, is irresponsible and mischievous, and is not in the best interest of their members or the other 700 Nationwide employees". Solidarity announced today (Tuesday, September 20) that their members at Nationwide intend to strike at 5pm on Friday, September 23.
If the strike goes ahead, it is expected to have some effect on domestic flights, although all international and regional flights are expected to operate normally.Where domestic flights are affected, Nationwide will endeavor to re-accommodate passengers on other Nationwide flights or with the other domestic airlines. "The union statement is misleading in the extreme and contains several factual errors, " said Griffiths.
In their statement he said, Solidarity members are demanding an eight percent increase, comprising a five percent salary demand and a three percent pensionable increase".
"Nationwide believes that its current offer more than covers these demands".
According to Griffiths, Nationwide has a policy of automatically allowing for inflation by increasing cabin crew salaries annually, by five percent, on the anniversary of their joining the company.
"In addition to this, we have also offered a further four percent increase to all cabin crew and ground staff, including a compounded increase on the five percent already implemented," said Griffiths.
"Nationwide also recently implemented a three percent night shift allowance, so the total increase cabin crew will be receiving this year is 12.2 percent. According to Griffiths, it now appears that Solidarity are not taking into account the eight percent increase already implemented this year in making their demand for a further eight percent, making the total demand effectively over 16 percent, an amount far in excess of the inflation rate and well outside the parameters targeted by the Government in order to stem inflation.
Solidarity has 250 members in Nationwide Airlines (Pty) Ltd. out of a total of over 1 000 group employees.
"Nationwide management continues to be committed to a fair and equitable remuneration policy, and will do everything in its power to ensure that passengers are not unduly inconvenienced should this strike go ahead," concluded Griffiths. Passengers and the Travel Trade should contact the Nationwide Customer Care Centre on 011 344 7240 for updated information.
Issued by HWB Communications Pty Ltd On Behalf of Nationwide Airlines.
For more information or interviews please contact:
Evelyn John Holtzhausen
021 462 0416 / 082 658 6007
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