SAA Technical slammed over racism
BUSINESS NEWS
SAA slammed over 'racism'
Thu, 17 Aug 2006
The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has accused a division of SA Airways of racism and non-compliance with employment equity laws.
"SAA Technical remains lilywhite at the top and pitch black at the bottom," Satawu spokesperson Ronnie Mamba said on Thursday.
Mamba said over 95 percent of top level management was currently white.
"After 12 years of democracy, the SAA Technical department has vehemently refused to transform... refusing to adequately train black workers to let them move higher or to acknowledge government's employment equity act."
Employee quotas
A break down of employee quotas as provided by Satawu showed that:
— at executive level, nine white, two Indian and one black person was employed.
— at senior management level, 32 white, two Indian and three black people were employed.
— at junior management level, 47 white, three Indian and five black people were employed.
— at technical supervisory level, 165 white, four Indian, two black and four coloured people were employed. This was the highest level of employment for coloured people in the company.
— at senior technicians level, 320 white, 16 Indian, nine coloured and six black people were employed.
Mamba said nearly all team leaders in the division were white males.
Incidents Mamba cited which "bordered on blatant racism" included a white employee who told a black employee that "all my efforts to turn you into a white man have failed. You remain a kaffir".
Mamba said the white employee was still employed by SAA Technical.
Black worker assaulted
Further accounts of racism included a white technician who assaulted a black technician and was then promoted.
"We will no longer tolerate white domination in SAA Technical or any other division or subsidiary of SAA."
He added that Satawu was not recognised as a union at the division in spite of having 500 workers from the division signed as members.
He said black workers who worked as craftsmen for ten years had no training while their white counterparts progressed to senior positions through training programmes.
"If the division does not improve its record on race relations and transformation, an indefinite strike action — should negotiations not produce concrete results — will proceed."
Mamba said the deadline for negotiations to conclude was one month.
"Satawu is of the view that aviation is a very a strategic component of our national economy. It (the company) therefore has a responsibility to be in the forefront of government's transformation programmes."
SAA was not immediately able to comment.
Sapa