State-owned signal provider Sentech is the latest subject of strike action, after over 200 workers downed tools on Saturday afternoon, 48-hours after giving the entity notice of the action last week Thursday.
According to a Sentech spokesperson, Sithembele Senti, workers affiliated with the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) are demanding a 13th cheque. "We are in the middle of wage negotiations and all I can divulge now is that the main issue is that of a 13th cheque."
CWU is the only recognised trade union within Sentech. Senti estimates there are between 250 to 300 members, all part of Sentech's bargaining unit, who are on strike.
Sentech - mandated with providing broadcasting signal distribution to licenced television and radio broadcasters and data connectivity services to public institutions and private enterprises - says it is concerned about the impact the strike may have on its customers and stakeholders.
The strike action comes amid delays to SA's digital migration process and growing financial pressure on the entity.
In a media statement today Sentech said it had "proposed a number of solutions and made several concessions with a view to address the deadlock [however] the efforts have not yielded any positive results".
This afternoon, Senti said Sentech had been in negotiations with CWU representatives for most of the afternoon.
"We have not thus far experienced any disturbances at the company and have contingency plans in place to maintain the same levels of operation."
Sentech says it values its employees and will continue to negotiate in good faith with CWU, in the hope that the union "will review its approach with a view of enabling an amicable solution to be reached".
The company says demands CWU has made are "unfortunate as [these] will have a negative effect to the sustainability of the business if Sentech were to accept".
Sentech says it will keep its stakeholders and media updated on developments on a regular basis.
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