"It is obvious that we have an ongoing restructuring process, but obviously we are not counting on redundancies that are not part of our agenda, and it is very important to explain to the population, that even during the pandemic, with the planes in floor, there was not a single dismissal" he guaranteed.
On August 21, TAAG employees held a silent demonstration, with the aim of alerting Angolan and international public opinion about alleged abuses by the company's new administration, and preventing possible collective dismissal, which may happen days after taking office of the new government.
Asked about the matter, the official, who was speaking to Lusa on the sidelines of the investiture of the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, devalued the fact.
"This is normal, because it is part of society. We do not see it as a problem, but as the great challenges of transformation and restructuring of our economy and our companies, because we have to be prepared to live. We can't just say that what happens in other countries is good and we don't have the capacity to make this change," he said.
Regarding the restructuring of TAAG, the official, who did not confirm whether or not he will be reappointed to the position, said that the flag airline must seek professional, technical and cost management sustainability.
"TAAG is an airline that has to guarantee itself sustainable, in a highly demanding business, from a professional, technical and cost management point of view, in order for it to be sustainable. We are not on a path in which we can demand that the State remain faithful to subsidize the inefficiencies of the various public companies, because the States do not have the resources to sustain the inefficiencies that exist in several public companies. All companies will have to undergo a similar transformation", he concluded.
Last week, TAAG and the Provincial Union of Cabin Sailing Personnel (SINPROPNC) met to discuss the current situation of the flag carrier, days after the Minister of Transport demanded the opening of talks.
According to a statement from TAAG, the meeting between the airline's officials and SINPROPNC representatives lasted about three hours and served for "mutual consultation and exposure of relevant information about the current situation of TAAG, as well as the concerns of the Cabin Navigator Personnel".
"It was what we always wanted, for the company to be open to listening to the legitimate concerns of workers through the body that represents them and, above all, to be open to dialogue and negotiation", the deputy secretary of SINPROPCN told Lusa at the time, Delio Gomes.
The TAAG statement added that a commitment was made to maintain the sessions "for the good resolution of labor issues and concerns related to the company's development".
