Numsa remains committed to saving jobs at Comair
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says it remains committed to saving as many jobs as possible at Comair.
The company, which owned budget airline kulula.com and operates British Airways in South Africa, announced on Tuesday that it had entered business rescue following losses of R564 million in the first half of the year.
Numsa’s Phakamile Hlubi Majola says the company needs to take the emotional and psychological impact of the announcement into account, as it will almost certainly lead to job losses.
"We have not yet met for the first consultation on this because of the lockdown, and we are still waiting for CCMA to confirm a date. We are expecting to meet with the management soon to get more details on how this process will affect operations.”
Meanwhile, trade union Solidarity says Comair's decision to go into business rescue is a symptom of the bigger crisis facing the aviation industry.
"This is an outcry for the South African economy to strike up again, otherwise, we will see an entire country in business rescue," says chief executive Dirk Hermann.
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Covid-19 forces Comair into business rescue
The airline has not been in operation since March due to the ban on flights as the governments seek to control the coronavirus outbreak. The airline reported a half-year loss of R564 million in February and this, says CEO Wrenelle Stander, left it with no other option to implement business rescue.