Air Namibia defends suspensions
The airline says the suspended trade union leaders are its employees before anything else.
Air Namibia has yet to explain the suspensions of two of its employees who criticised the airline's intention to recruit foreign pilots, saying the matter is still under investigation.
Willem Christiaan and Reginald Kock, respectively the president and legal advisor of the Namibia Cabin Crew Union (NCCU), were suspended on Thursday pending an investigation into alleged misconduct.
The two maintain that they made their remarks in their capacity as representatives of the NCCU.
But Air Namibia spokesperson Paulus Nakawa said on Friday that Christiaan and Kock were the airline's employees before they were union members. Nakawa also said that Christiaan and Kock had been asked to make representations as to why they should not be suspended before acting managing director Mandy Samson could exercise her discretion regarding the matter, but that they had not done so.
The union leaders, on the other hand, claimed that they were never allowed to make such representations.
The NCCU and the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna) gave Air Namibia 24 hours to withdraw the suspension, threatening mass demonstrations at the airline's head office in this week.Nakawa said some news outlets continued to mislead the public and create wrong impressions about the use of foreign pilots.
“The issue of the foreign ad hoc pilots is not new to Air Namibia and it is not strange either,” Nakawa said.
He said the airline currently employs 105 pilots, only 11 of whom are ad hoc (foreign) pilots who are used when needed.
He reiterated that over 90% of Air Namibia's pilots are Namibians trained by the airline, and that the airline spends close to N$30 million yearly on training local pilots. Nakawa said Air Namibia would continue to do so because it believes in growth at home.
“The intention is to eventually replace all ad hoc pilots with Namibians possessing the necessary skills and qualifications,” Nakawa said.
He added: “With the expansion of the airline's operations due to travel growth and demand in Africa, Air Namibia will continue training more and in the meantime hire more foreign pilots until such time that the demand has been zeroed. With the current expansion of routes and implementation of the strategic plan, Air Namibia will need approximately 50 pilots on all fleets and these positions will be advertised locally in due course.”
Nakawa said Namibia has a general shortage of pilots, let alone skilled ones or type-rated pilots.
“Air Namibia remains committed to train more pilots to promote local skills,” he said, adding that the airline encourages Namibians to pursue a career in aviation and “come fly with the national carrier”.
CATHERINE SASMAN
Willem Christiaan and Reginald Kock, respectively the president and legal advisor of the Namibia Cabin Crew Union (NCCU), were suspended on Thursday pending an investigation into alleged misconduct.
The two maintain that they made their remarks in their capacity as representatives of the NCCU.
But Air Namibia spokesperson Paulus Nakawa said on Friday that Christiaan and Kock were the airline's employees before they were union members. Nakawa also said that Christiaan and Kock had been asked to make representations as to why they should not be suspended before acting managing director Mandy Samson could exercise her discretion regarding the matter, but that they had not done so.
The union leaders, on the other hand, claimed that they were never allowed to make such representations.
The NCCU and the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna) gave Air Namibia 24 hours to withdraw the suspension, threatening mass demonstrations at the airline's head office in this week.Nakawa said some news outlets continued to mislead the public and create wrong impressions about the use of foreign pilots.
“The issue of the foreign ad hoc pilots is not new to Air Namibia and it is not strange either,” Nakawa said.
He said the airline currently employs 105 pilots, only 11 of whom are ad hoc (foreign) pilots who are used when needed.
He reiterated that over 90% of Air Namibia's pilots are Namibians trained by the airline, and that the airline spends close to N$30 million yearly on training local pilots. Nakawa said Air Namibia would continue to do so because it believes in growth at home.
“The intention is to eventually replace all ad hoc pilots with Namibians possessing the necessary skills and qualifications,” Nakawa said.
He added: “With the expansion of the airline's operations due to travel growth and demand in Africa, Air Namibia will continue training more and in the meantime hire more foreign pilots until such time that the demand has been zeroed. With the current expansion of routes and implementation of the strategic plan, Air Namibia will need approximately 50 pilots on all fleets and these positions will be advertised locally in due course.”
Nakawa said Namibia has a general shortage of pilots, let alone skilled ones or type-rated pilots.
“Air Namibia remains committed to train more pilots to promote local skills,” he said, adding that the airline encourages Namibians to pursue a career in aviation and “come fly with the national carrier”.
CATHERINE SASMAN
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