'Our goal was to save SAA': Wage agreement will benefit everyone, say unions

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) said on Friday that the wage agreement reached with SAA would not only benefit workers, but also the airline's management.

On Friday, the unions and SAA reached a wage agreement that saw the end of a weeklong stayaway.

The unions were demanding an 8% increase, while SAA was offering 5.9%.

The unions gave their members the go-ahead to sign the agreement, which was negotiated through the CCMA.

“Our strike was never just about securing a wage agreement. At the centre of our demands was to secure changes which would result in the long-term sustainability of the SAA group, and assist it to get back onto the path of profitability. Ultimately, our goal was to save SAA in order to save jobs,” the unions said.

“We thank our members for their courage and dedication and for remaining committed to this struggle. They were disciplined and resolute and this is their victory. We call on them to unite as we have a lot of work ahead of us.

“We must leave SAA in a better position than it is in now, and it is our duty to ensure that future generations of workers can benefit from the airline,” they added in a joint statement.