SAA inks deal to end eight-day strike

South African Airways (SAA) signed a wage deal with unions Friday to end an eight-day strike that brought the cash-strapped state airline to the brink of collapse. SAA said it would restore its flight schedule to normal over the weekend and promised to delay talks with unions on job cuts until the end of January. Three of SAA’s largest trade unions agreed to a 5.9% pay rise for the financial year that began in April, with the first salary increase in February 2020 and back payments in March and April if the airline has sufficient funds. That was a similar deal to the one offered before two of the unions launched a strike on Nov. 15, making it a victory for SAA and government officials trying to curb steep financial losses at the airline. Some airline staff had returned to work during the strike as they were not paid while out on industrial action. The South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), the unions that led the strike, had pushed for an 8% salary increase. Workers belonging to another union, the National Transport Movement, which didn’t participate in the strike, will receive the same 5.9% increase. “We are therefore pleased to announce that we are calling off all strike action at SAA and SAAT (South African Airways Technical) with immediate effect, due to the fact that we have settled on a wage offer,” the unions said.<br/>