A strike by Comair workers could severely impact the company’s operations. That’s the warning from the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa). Numsa plans to down tools on Thursday over wage disparities at the airline.

Meanwhile, Comair is trying to interdict the strike. The planned strike will affect all Comair flights nationally. Comair operates Kulula and all British Airways flights in South Africa.

Numsa says it’s been trying to resolve its dispute with the airline since late last year.

“They know very well, just like we do that if we embark on this strike it’ll have a devastating impact on their services.

“There will be major delays. It will have an impact on their provide margins,” said Numsa spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola.

Numsa members make up around 30 percent of Comair’s ground staff. At the heart of the dispute is 21 workers whose salaries vary from their colleagues’.

Comair says it has contingency plans in place. Numsa is adamant it won’t allow the equal pay for equal work principle to be violated.