Trade union Solidarity is optimistic it can save jobs at the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), after taking a different approach to the section 189 process that has put about 75 jobs in the firing line.
Solidarity sector co-ordinator Jahni Cowley says the union held its second consultation session with the TIA yesterday - a process facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. "Before this session, we engaged with our members at the TIA and we thoroughly analysed the business," she says.
Cowley adds the union subsequently presented recommendations to the embattled state-owned organisation about how it could address its leadership vacuum and how it could bolster its regional presence within the country.
Last month, the agency stated it is aiming to conduct a major restructuring process to help it return to efficiency and overcome a long history of mismanagement. However, it warned the restructure would see retrenchments - with as many as a third of its current 193 employees potentially facing the axe.
The TIA has seen much internal turmoil in the past year, and is now being overseen by Dr Rivka Kfir, who was appointed as interim CEO in May. This followed the dismissal of CEO Simphiwe Duma and CFO Barbara Kortjaas for misconduct and maladministration, uncovered by a forensic investigation completed earlier this year.
Adding to the agency's woes is the fact that its funding has been slashed by R130 million - to about R400 million - in the latest medium-term expenditure framework published by government, and market watchers have commented it has not been able to fulfil its mandate.
Cowley says the agency's leadership vacuum means "we are not dealing with a structure that is permanent", meaning that a new management structure, once appointed, could potentially seek to implement a different strategy that would not necessarily include retrenchments. On the point of regional presence, Solidarity says it is looking at ways the agency could increase regionalisation - improving its provincial presence, in line with its mandate to drive technology and innovation in all parts of the country.
"We have put our recommendations to the TIA and they will respond in writing. This is quite a different approach from the usual section 189 process, but we are confident that we can save jobs," says Cowley, adding the TIA has been very open to the union's suggestions.
However, she explains the agency's response would allow the union to gauge whether the business could be saved, with minimal or no retrenchments.
Cowley says it is impossible to gauge how many jobs would ultimately be saved, should the union's recommendations be accepted. "First prize would be no job cuts, but we will have to wait and see," she notes, adding that some attrition would be achieved via employees who choose to accept voluntary severance packages.