Telkom jobs 'safe'

By Candice Jones for Telkom
Johannesburg, 11 Jul 2008

Telkom and trade union Solidarity finally seem to be on the same page, with a statement by the union assuring employees that jobs are safe.

In May, Solidarity speculated that the telco would outsource more than 90% of its activities, which could affect 19 000 of Telkom's employees.

In its most recent statement, Solidarity spokesman Jaco Kleynhans says: "There is currently much anxiety among Telkom employees, and false rumours that employees will lose their jobs as a result of the moves, contibute to employees' unease. Solidarity is in close contact with Telkom's management regarding the relevant issues of the process and will discuss and negotiate all points of concern with the group's management."

Telkom's HR chief Charlotte Mokoena has welcomed the union's statement. "The process, that continues, seeks to achieve new ways of improving business for the benefit of all Telkom's stakeholders. Capability management is not about employees per se but about responding to a rapidly changing ICT business landscape."

Telkom is in the process of restructuring. However, Mokoena says outsourcing is not the only possibility for the company. "It is, therefore, important to note that there are other options such as strategic partnerships, joint ventures, out-tasking, among others."

She adds that in essence, the restructuring process implies acquiring the enterprise capability required to achieve business objectives through the optimal utilisation of external and internal capabilities. "Intrinsic to this process, Telkom seeks to secure sustainable employability of its employees."

Solidarity says Telkom may soon announce the service providers for the eventual outsourcing, whereafter a takeover process will follow. "Although certain departments and employees might be transferred earlier, the process could possibly take as long as three years to be fully completed."