Airzim Govt package to benefit all workers

month-long industrial action by pilots would benefit all the airline’s workers owed money in salaries and allowances.
There were already reports that some workers were threatening job action following earlier information that the US$4 million deal was for pilots only.
Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer, Mr Innocent Mavhunga allayed fears that the deal was for pilots alone.
“Everybody who was owed money is included in the deal,” he said.
He could not divulge the nature of the agreement, but a member of the workers’ representatives said the US$4 million was released by Government with US$2 million going towards the payment of salary arrears to pilots, while engineers and general staff would share US$2 million.
“We, however, cannot say at the moment how much the other workers are being owed because the arrears date back to as far as January 2009.
“So we are going to meet soon after the Easter holiday to deliberate on the issue,” the source said.
Air Zimbabwe has more than 900 workers, 49 of them pilots.
Early this month, the company had its property attached to pay off salary arrears amounting to US$378 000 and was saved by Government that released US$400 000 to pay off the debt.
Mr Mavhunga who could not comment on the quantum of the Government brokered deal, said they had resumed normal operations without any incidences.
“We started operations normally, we did not have any problems, it was a normal schedule,” he said.
The Air zim boss said flights from Harare to Johannesburg, Harare to London and Harare to Victoria Falls had taken off without incidences.
More flights from Harare to Bulawayo and Harare to Johannesburg were also scheduled for yesterday evening.
He professed ignorance on claims that a number of pilots had tendered their resignations soon after the deal was concluded.
Air Zimbabwe is saddled with a US$100 million debt and has in the past few years struggled to pay its workers.
This has been compounded by a decline in business with its routes declining from 25 to the current seven.
Its age can no longer compete with new models that consume less fuel.
Air Zimbabwe has lost business to rival airlines in the region among them South African Airways, Kenyan Airways, and Ethiopian Airways among others.

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