Namibia: Pilot Strike Grounds Air Nam
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Namibia: Pilot Strike Grounds Air Nam
FOURTEEN Air Namibia flights scheduled for today and tomorrow have been cancelled after pilots decided to start their strike yesterday.
Domestic, regional and international flights are affected.
The airline's spokesman, Paulus Nakawa, said there was a contingency plan in place.
"Air Namibia management wishes to assure its clients, stakeholders and [the] public at large that the airline has put contingency plans in place to ensure minimum disruptions to its operations," Nakawa said in a statement issued yesterday.
According to him, Air Namibia will announce its contingency plan tomorrow for Sunday's scheduled flights, if the deadlock is not resolved.
The strike follows failed salary negotiations with the cash-strapped national airline.
"The strike follows after a deadlock was reached between management and Napa [Namibian Airline Pilots' Association] executive on the salary negotiations. Management earlier offered a 5% salary increment on cost to company across board, backdated [to] April 1 2012; pilots have declined the offer," Nakawa said.
"In these difficult financial times, the management is caring enough to offer five percent. We cannot not commit ourself beyond that," he said.
Last week, a last-minute meeting averted a strike after Napa had given 62 hours' notice of a strike if there was no agreement in the salary negotiations.
Napa president Christian Schneider said pilots have had no salary increases since 2009 and they have been told the "same thing over and over".
Schneider said pilots have an obligation to return all aircraft to their home base even after commencement of a strike.
Theo Namases, the managing director of Air Namibia, recently said that there was no money for increases.
The Namibian; 16 November 2012
Domestic, regional and international flights are affected.
The airline's spokesman, Paulus Nakawa, said there was a contingency plan in place.
"Air Namibia management wishes to assure its clients, stakeholders and [the] public at large that the airline has put contingency plans in place to ensure minimum disruptions to its operations," Nakawa said in a statement issued yesterday.
According to him, Air Namibia will announce its contingency plan tomorrow for Sunday's scheduled flights, if the deadlock is not resolved.
The strike follows failed salary negotiations with the cash-strapped national airline.
"The strike follows after a deadlock was reached between management and Napa [Namibian Airline Pilots' Association] executive on the salary negotiations. Management earlier offered a 5% salary increment on cost to company across board, backdated [to] April 1 2012; pilots have declined the offer," Nakawa said.
"In these difficult financial times, the management is caring enough to offer five percent. We cannot not commit ourself beyond that," he said.
Last week, a last-minute meeting averted a strike after Napa had given 62 hours' notice of a strike if there was no agreement in the salary negotiations.
Napa president Christian Schneider said pilots have had no salary increases since 2009 and they have been told the "same thing over and over".
Schneider said pilots have an obligation to return all aircraft to their home base even after commencement of a strike.
Theo Namases, the managing director of Air Namibia, recently said that there was no money for increases.
The Namibian; 16 November 2012
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Namibia: Air Namibia Counts Losses As Pilots' Strike Continues
AIR Namibia could be losing about N$5 million per day in potential revenue due to the pilots' strike that began on Friday, says the airline's spokesman, Paulus Nakawa.
"This does not include monies we have to pay other airlines for accepting our passengers, and does not include the cost of cancellations and accommodation and possible claims," he told The Namibian yesterday.
The ten flights that were cancelled yesterday and today followed 14 flights that were called off on Friday and Saturday last week.
Theo Namases, the managing director of Air Namibia, yesterday confirmed that the strike was still on.
The strike followed a deadlock in salary negotiations between management and the Namibian Airline Pilots' Association (Napa).
Management earlier offered a 5% salary increase on cost to company across the board, backdated to April 1 2012, but the pilots have declined the offer.
"We are negotiating but are getting closer to finding a solution. By tomorrow afternoon, we might be able to give you an update on the latest," Namases said.
Nakawa said they had cancelled most regional flights such as those to Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
"These routes are serviced by our ERJ 135 Embraer Jet, which is a 37-seater, all economy class," he said about the number of affected passengers.
According to him, the national airline was currently using contract pilots who are not members of Napa or those who have decided not to strike.
He said the national airline would give passengers the opportunity to reschedule or cancel their flights which may not be affected by the strike.
"We have also made arrangements to reroute some of our affected passengers on partner airlines such as SAA and British Airways or Comair, " the spokesperson added.
Nakawa said all passengers on the affected flights will be rebooked on Air Namibia flights at no extra cost.
According to him, rerouting to other airlines is allowed but South African Airways will have first option as per standing agreement on rerouting.
Napa president Christian Schneider yesterday said the strike was continuing and so were the negotiations.
Schneider said the pilots had had no salary increases since 2009 and they also hoped that a solution would be found.
"Napa members are aware of the inconvenience and economic loss that cessation of the schedule of the country's national carrier would cause. Industrial action is seen very much as a last resort. Every attempt has been made to avoid a strike."
"At every step in the process, which has lasted almost two years, Napa has attempted to find a reasonable solution in good faith. No decision has been or will be taken lightly," he added
The Namibian; 19 November 2012
"This does not include monies we have to pay other airlines for accepting our passengers, and does not include the cost of cancellations and accommodation and possible claims," he told The Namibian yesterday.
The ten flights that were cancelled yesterday and today followed 14 flights that were called off on Friday and Saturday last week.
Theo Namases, the managing director of Air Namibia, yesterday confirmed that the strike was still on.
The strike followed a deadlock in salary negotiations between management and the Namibian Airline Pilots' Association (Napa).
Management earlier offered a 5% salary increase on cost to company across the board, backdated to April 1 2012, but the pilots have declined the offer.
"We are negotiating but are getting closer to finding a solution. By tomorrow afternoon, we might be able to give you an update on the latest," Namases said.
Nakawa said they had cancelled most regional flights such as those to Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
"These routes are serviced by our ERJ 135 Embraer Jet, which is a 37-seater, all economy class," he said about the number of affected passengers.
According to him, the national airline was currently using contract pilots who are not members of Napa or those who have decided not to strike.
He said the national airline would give passengers the opportunity to reschedule or cancel their flights which may not be affected by the strike.
"We have also made arrangements to reroute some of our affected passengers on partner airlines such as SAA and British Airways or Comair, " the spokesperson added.
Nakawa said all passengers on the affected flights will be rebooked on Air Namibia flights at no extra cost.
According to him, rerouting to other airlines is allowed but South African Airways will have first option as per standing agreement on rerouting.
Napa president Christian Schneider yesterday said the strike was continuing and so were the negotiations.
Schneider said the pilots had had no salary increases since 2009 and they also hoped that a solution would be found.
"Napa members are aware of the inconvenience and economic loss that cessation of the schedule of the country's national carrier would cause. Industrial action is seen very much as a last resort. Every attempt has been made to avoid a strike."
"At every step in the process, which has lasted almost two years, Napa has attempted to find a reasonable solution in good faith. No decision has been or will be taken lightly," he added
The Namibian; 19 November 2012
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BE STRONG FELLOW AVIATORS
Boys and gals, what a unfortunate situation this has become. The battle at airnamibia goes far beyond salary increases. Airnamibia is a typical african opsorientated government institution, tainted with corruption favouritsm and so forth. I hope you pilots can stick this out for long, because a loss in this battle would put you in a worse situation that you were before,for longer. Bring them to their knees. Still hear namibian pilots on the radio these "scabs" must be sorted out. Good luck be strong, you have many supporting your cauze!.
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"... the pilots had had no salary increases since 2009 ..."
Funny old thing, I don't know if anyone has noticed but the world airline industry has been in the rather serious doldrums since about 2008. Just having a job is a good deal, a pay rise is an absolute luxury! Count yourselves lucky that you're in a state-subsidised job that doesn't need to keep its head above the financial waters as real airlines need to. And when you've finished, don't be surprised to find that someone else has 'stolen' all your passengers while your back was turned!!
And just think of the salary decrease that the pilots at 1Time have had "... since 2009 ..."!
Funny old thing, I don't know if anyone has noticed but the world airline industry has been in the rather serious doldrums since about 2008. Just having a job is a good deal, a pay rise is an absolute luxury! Count yourselves lucky that you're in a state-subsidised job that doesn't need to keep its head above the financial waters as real airlines need to. And when you've finished, don't be surprised to find that someone else has 'stolen' all your passengers while your back was turned!!
And just think of the salary decrease that the pilots at 1Time have had "... since 2009 ..."!
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Count yourselves lucky that you're in a state-subsidised
Trossie! As I said before, Air Namibia's problems goes far beyond salary increases. These pilot's don't just fight for money, the demand list contains aspects of operational inefficiencies and a host of other issues. These issues if not addressed!, directly relates to the profitability of the company as a whole, and obviously then the job security relates to all employees. The pilots have the right to highlight these issues to the benefit of all! Secondly I think it is safe to say that the pilots hands are pretty clean when it comes to pointing out these inefficiencies, after all was it the pilots that sunk 1time?, were they inefficient and not proactive on many fronts in a bid to save the company?. You and I both very very well know where the problems in these institutions are!!!. So to sit in your cockpit seat day in and day out for years without a increase or recognition, doing your job as good and efficient as you possibly can, not because it's your duty but because it is the inherent nature of a career pilot, and in the mean time through your cockpit window and on your walk to the office you can clearly see where the money is being pi***d out. Do you really think it's in your nature to stil sit down and keep your mouth shut and be thankfull for your job. Chew on reality. Correct me if i'm wrong, but I have never ever heard of a airline going bust because the pilot's didn't do their job right.
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No Trossie: nobody's lucky just to have a job. As professional pilots they deserve a market-related salary. Do not compare Airnam to 1time where the pilots were too greedy and screwed themselves out of a union by being on Amico.
