The ITF is taking action to support a Swaziland Airlink engineer, who has been dismissed after reporting an alleged racist incident at the hands of a white cabin crew member.
Vusi Nxumalo, who was based in Johannesburg when the alleged incident took place in January 2013, filed a grievance reporting that he had been the victim of harassment, manhandling and offensive, racist language.
Following the hearing, the cabin crew member – who is employed by South African Airlink, a partner of Swaziland Airlink – received a written warning for manhandling Mr Nxumalo. However the engineer`s racism claim was thrown out as false. Mr Nxumalo was then accused of submitting a false statement and of gross insolence towards the cabin crew member. His union, the ITF-affiliated Swaziland Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (STAWU) successfully represented him and he was cleared of both charges – but he remained suspended, despite further solidarity support by STAWU and sister affiliate the South African Transport & Allied Workers’ Union (SATAWU).
Finally, Swaziland Airlink wrote to inform Mr Nxumalo of its decision to terminate his employment, saying South African Airlink – to whom it claims he was seconded – had lost confidence in him.
The contention of the ITF and STAWU is that serious irregularities have occurred in the events leading up to Mr Nxumalo’s dismissal. In the first place, they argue, he had not been seconded to South African Airlink at all, but, like all other Swaziland Airlink maintenance engineers, was based in Johannesburg to work on aircraft fully leased to the Swazi company. Moreover, no written record of the initial grievance hearing has been issued; company and legal codes empowering employees to file grievances have been disregarded; and a legal obligation on the part of the employer to consult with an employee and/or his union in an attempt at mitigation before any termination has been ignored.
In a letter to the management of Swaziland Airlink on 13 November, ITF civil aviation secretary Gabriel Mocho warned the ITF was ready to mobilise publicity and international solidarity in support of Mr Nxumalo.
ITF African regional secretary Joe Katende said: “ITF Africa affiliates embrace the culture of ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’, and will fight for him to the successful end.”
Read more about ITF affiliates in Swaziland at http://bit.ly/11YBiSx – solidarity in Swaziland
November 29, 2013
On 23 November, a group of Borussia Dortmund supporters and trade unionists staged a protest ahead of the match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern München in Dortmund. Dozens of protestors gathered in front of the Signal Iduna Park stadium and held placards reading “A real Scandal; Turkish Airlines: Anti-worker and hostile towards the union; […]
November 27, 2013
Airport workers in Bulgaria have reached an agreement on pay and conditions with their employer just minutes before the start of a national protest organised by the Соnfederation of the Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria. The agreement, which was signed during the weekend of 20 November between the ITF-affiliated union Federation of Transport Trade Unions […]
There’s still time to apply to attend the ITF women transport worker’s conference being held in Delhi, India in January. It’s really important that there are delegates from all regions and sectors there so they can help set the agenda for the work of ITF unions around women’s issues. To apply go to the brand […]
November 21, 2013
After a fightback lasting over two years, the ITF-affiliated Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) has won an agreement from Philippines Airlines for the return to work of staff who were outsourced on inferior conditions and short term contracts, threatened with redundancy, and even locked out. Thanks to the union’s determination the airline has now agreed that six hundred staff who refused to claim separation benefits will be re-employed in their regular posts.
PALEA’s resistance has been backed throughout by unions in the Philippines and worldwide.
ITF acting general secretary Steve Cotton commented: “Since the outsourcing plan was first mooted in 2010 PALEA has fought back against it in a tireless defence of those thousands of jobs. They said the plan was crazy, unfair and risked the wellbeing of the airline itself. They were backed in this by their trade union colleagues in the Philippines and worldwide. Now they have been proved right.”
Paddy Crumlin, ITF president and national secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), added: “What stands out first and foremost in this important victory is the strength and determination of the members of PALEA. For two years they waged a struggle, standing fast as a united group. That struggle also brought out the best in our ITF network globally as union members on every continent showed solidarity, either by simple messages sent to show support, leafleting Philippine Airlines and even visits to the camp set up near the PAL terminal. Let this victory stand as an example for us to follow in the day, months and years as we unite across the globe to push back against injustice that threatens a fair living for all transport workers.
“In Australia, ITF affiliates have run a long campaign to assist our comrades in the Philippines and this has been replicated around the globe. Importantly, PALEA members continued to offer their solidarity to other global ITF campaigns throughout their struggle.”
The history of PALEA’s fightback and the international solidarity that supported it can be seen at www.saveourpalsjobs.org
November 19, 2013
The ITF today applauded the determination of a Philippines union – and the international solidarity which helped sustain it – that has led to the re-employment in regular jobs of some 600 workers. After an intense struggle lasting over two years, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) has won agreement from Philippines Airlines (PAL) for […]
The ITF today applauded the determination of a Philippines union – and the international solidarity which helped sustain it – that has led to the re-employment in regular jobs of some 600 workers. After an intense struggle lasting over two years, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) has won agreement from Philippines Airlines (PAL) for […]
November 18, 2013
The iconic Empire State Building was the scene of a strong and vocal protest against Turkish Airlines rights abuses held in New York November 8. The action was in support of 305 Turkish Airlines workers dismissed in 2012 for exercising their right to strike. IUF affiliates from the New York Hotel Trades Council, union members […]
November 11, 2013