Subscribe

CWU plans Telkom march

Martin Czernowalow
By Martin Czernowalow, Contributor.
Johannesburg, 24 Oct 2014
CWU members will stage a mass march if the union cannot resolve a retrenchment dispute with Telkom.
CWU members will stage a mass march if the union cannot resolve a retrenchment dispute with Telkom.

The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) says it is considering mobilising its members in a march against retrenchments at Telkom next week, should it not manage to resolve its dispute with the company at a meeting today.

The union is unhappy with Telkom issuing retrenchment letters to 105 employees, after it achieved its stated target of 223 job cuts during the current phase of an organisational restructuring process.

Telkom previously reported that 302 management-level staff had taken voluntary severance packages and voluntary retirement packages.

This has angered unions, including Solidarity and the South African Communications Union, which have called on Telkom to withdraw the retrenchment notices, but the company has remained defiant.

CWU deputy president Clyde Mervin says the union will await the outcome of the dispute resolution meeting with Telkom later today. He adds, should the dispute remain unresolved, the CWU will stage a mass march in Pretoria on 28 October. "We will issue a memorandum to Telkom, as we are not happy with the section 189 process."

Mervin says he is not sure how many of the union's members will take part in the march, adding the CWU would have a better idea by Monday.

He explains the mass action would see members marching to the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, National Treasury and then to Telkom's offices.

"We have received a notice of intention to march from the Communication Workers' Union. The union intends to march on 28 October, at around 1pm in the Pretoria region," says Telkom.

The company says it recognises the right of its employees to participate in collective bargaining and to withhold labour.

"As is standard policy for most corporates, we cannot condone unauthorised absence from work and the 'no work no pay' principle will apply. Contingency plans have been put in place to maintain operational stability and to ensure our customers are not inconvenienced by the action."

Share