■ SOUTH AFRICA: Over four-thousand SAA staff to strike today over wage dispute; allege discrimination.

Over 4000 South African Airways (SA) employees in the airline's cabin and ground crew sectors will, from today, embark on a strike proclaimed by their trade union, the South African Transport & Allied Workers' Union (SATAWU), after SAA's management "unilaterally" went ahead and implemented a 6.23% wage rise with benefits; an offer previously rejected by the union.

■■ NIGERIA: NAMA strike to lockdown Nigeria's airspace from midnight as negotiations with management break down.

[UPDATE 20 MAY] Employees of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) affiliated to the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), are to proceed with a strike beginning Monday 20 May at 00h01. The walkout has come about as result of an ongoing wage dispute with the organization's management.

■ NIGERIA: AeroContractor's management directs fired workers to reapply for their jobs.

AeroContractor's (AJ) management, on the back of strong government pressure, has directed its recently dismissed staff numbering 600+ to reapply for assessment and possible reemployment. The airline recently resumed partial operations following a 20 day long strike.

► NIGERIA: AeroContractors flights grounded following staff strike.

Nigerian domestic operator, Aero Contractors A(J), was today, forced to suspend all flights following a strike by staff over pay and working conditions at the airline. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Tough break for Denel AMG employees as just 139 out of 523 are to be retained under new SAAF deal.

South African trade union, Solidarity, has announced that only 139 employees out of 523 will be retained on a new aircraft maintenance contract to be signed between the South African Air Force (SAAF) and defense contractor Denel Aviation/AeroManpower Group. This means that 384 employees will lose their jobs by the end of March. The union had originally pinned its hopes on 150 personnel being retained. 

 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: NTM to continue strike despite reaching deal with SAA on enumeration parameters.

Despite reaching a deal with South African Airways (SA) on the terms of reference to be used for the verification of its membership numbers, South Africa's National Transport Movement trade union has maintained that it will continue to strike until the outcome of an arbitrator's report is published in mid February.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA defers presentation of turnaround plan to March as NTM embarks on a strike demanding recognition.

The new board of South African Airways (SA) has deferred the presentation of their planned turnaround strategy to March 2013, after being tasked to come up with proposal by December 2012 as part of prerequisite conditions to its USD600million bail out from the South African government, granted last year in October.

■ CAMEROON: Staff at Camair-Co threaten strikes from Monday over grievances concerning pay and managerial irregularities.

Twenty-two technical and administrative staff along with stewards and stewardesses have submitted their letters of resignation to Cameroonian national carrier Camair-Co (QC) whilst others have threatened to go on strike from Monday onwards, if grievances over their "13th Month" bonus, amongst others, is not resolved.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Denel Aviation to retrench 523 as SAAF confirms contract will not be renewed.

523 aircraft maintenance specialists at Denel Aviation’s Aero Manpower Group, the MRO division of the South Africa's government-backed Denel Corporation, are to be retrenched as a result of the South African Air Force (SAAF) deciding against renewing its contract with the firm, set to lapse next year.

■ MALAWI: Strike by DCA workers at Lilongwe's Kamuzu Int'l Airport causes serious delays, disruptions.

Ground-handling staff at Lilongwe's Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) have, since Monday, abandoned their night shifts at the airport, amidst other industrial action, in protest at unpaid overtime allowances that they claim "date back years."