Comair: gets 48 hour strike notice

South Africa’s airline operator Comair said on Tuesday it had received a 48-hour strike notice from the United Association of South Africa (UASA) who are demanding higher wages.

UASA members, who operate on the ground, plan to strike from Thursday after the union declared a deadlock on annual wage negotiations in January, said Comair in a statement.

The union, which has a 58 percent membership in the airport unit, wants a 35 percent increase over three years, while Comair is offering a 22.5 percent increase over the three year period, the airline said.

Comair, which is a franchisee of British Airways and owner of South African low-cost airline Kulula.com, said operations will not be affected by the strike.

“We do have a back-up team who will assist our customers during the potential disruption,” Comair CEO Erik Venter said.

However, UASA union said in a statement the intended strike could cause “massive inconveniences” and “delays in air travel” if the wage demands were not met soon.