Vodacom faces strike action after deadlocked talks with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
The CCMA has issued a certificate giving the union the right to embark on a protected industrial action.
This follows a dispute in which the union accused Vodacom of refusing to recognise the body as a representative labour organisation within the company and denying it its organisational rights.
CWU spokesman Mfanafuthi Sithebe says the union is on a "vigorous recruitment campaign" at Vodacom's premises for its planned strike action.
He adds details of the strike action will be made public once all stakeholders have been consulted.
"We will explore a legal opinion and consult Cosatu, alliance partners and other unions in Africa - in order to implement phase two of the programme [mass strike action] against workers' abuse by mobile operators in SA and the entire Africa."
On Thursday, CWU staged a picket outside the CCMA offices, in which 20 members of an expected 2 000 participated. The union blamed this on poor communication on its behalf as well as sabotage by Vodacom.
On Friday, the union alleged Vodacom had issued written warnings to staff members who arrived at work wearing union-branded T-shirts. Vodacom rubbished these claims as "unsubstantiated and untruthful". The union has since backed down.
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