The African chapter of Union Network International (UNI Africa), has established an alliance of unions among MTN workers in 10 African countries where the mobile telecoms company operates.
The alliance was formally launched in Lagos on 29 March. It aims to strengthen communication workers` unions in African countries and enable stronger bargaining power. The Communications Workers Union (CWU) will chair the alliance.
Mfanafuthi Sithebe, CWU spokesperson, says forming the alliance is part of UNI Africa`s long-term strategy for ensuring trade unions are recognised by African multinational companies.
He says out of 10 African countries where MTN operates, the only union that has a formal recognition agreement is the Zambian Union of Communication Workers.
Sithebe says the alliance will work towards concluding a global framework agreement with the mobile phone company. It will also partially address the unions` contention that some of the working conditions within African multinational companies are unsatisfactory, he says.
Last year MTN Nigeria staff accused the company of undermining communication workers` unions. Staff also alleged MTN Nigeria prevented unions from organising workers.
Sithebe says the MTN alliance is the first coalition aligned to an African multinational company. UNI Africa has formed two other alliances aligned with foreign multinationals: France Telecoms Alliance and the Barclays Africa Union Forum, he adds.
The MTN Group says UNI Africa has not formally approached it regarding the alliance.
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