After six years, pilots get increased allowance
Date: 1 March 2007
The following is a (very) rough extract from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:
After six years of negotiations, airforce pilots have reason to celebrate as they will receive an increased allowance from next month.
Lt.Gen. Carlo Gagiano, chief of the Airforce, told Beeld yesterday afternoon that the allowance was approved yesterday morning.
This means that the airforce chief does not have to fight for money every year to pay for the allowances as it is now part of the official airforce budget.
The announcement came at a critical time as the R41 million set aside for the allowances must be spent within the current financial year, which ended yesterday. If not spent, it would have been returned to the State B7 account for unspent funds and the approval process would have had to start afresh.
Steps are now being taken to load the allowances onto the salary system so that it can be reflected on the 15 March salary slips.
The allowance is one of the desperate steps the airforce is taking to stem the tide of resignations of pilots and instructors.
The contracts for a large group of pilots ends next month and it appears that many of them will not be renewing their contracts.
