King Shaka Airport employees in overtime labour dispute with ACSA

Bosasa is contracted by the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) at the Durban airport. 

About 75 employees are involved in the dispute relating to overtime - which they say has not been paid to them since 2014. 

According to one employee, Sibusiso Majola, prior to 2014 they worked eight-hour shifts - according to their contracts. The hours were then extended to 12-hours per day, but he claims they do not get paid for the additional hours worked. 

He alleges that employees have not been allowed to embark on industrial action - as they are regarded as an essential service.

Majola says the dispute led to some workers downing tools this past Sunday - with no feedback from management.

"Since we have this eight-hour contract, and these 12-hours are forced upon us, they're not paying for it. From 2014 since then they never gave us four hours overtime. This is what we're fighting for," he said.

Executive Director Communications for the Bosasa Group, Papa Leshabane, says they have a contractual obligation between them and their client - ACSA - to work a 12-hour shift.

"King Shaka is not the only airport where we are doing the type of service that we are offering. There are six other airports who are working on exactly the same type of shift pattern. The staff at King Shaka were asking us to wait an eight-hour shift. The contractual obligation with the client spoke of a 12-hour shift, which is what has been happening since the start of the contract," he said.

Leshabane says a meeting was held yesterday with top leadership of the company and AMCU union representatives, and they remain open to negotiations with workers.