If it appears the dispute resolution meeting between Telkom and the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) - convened on Friday and set to continue tomorrow - is not expected to yield positive results, the union says it will definitely hold a mass march on Thursday.
Speaking ahead of the meeting on Friday morning, CWU deputy president Clyde Mervin said the union would decide whether the mass action would go ahead depending on the outcome of discussion about Telkom's ongoing restructuring process and retrenchment of workers.
However, Mervin this morning says even though the meeting between union leaders and Telkom executives did not conclude on Friday and would continue tomorrow, mass action is set to take place on Thursday.
While Mervin would not be drawn on details of the state of the talks, the union's decision to proceed with its protest is an indication it does not expect the dispute to be resolved. The march was initially scheduled for Tuesday, but has been pushed back to allow the negotiations to conclude.
The CWU's dispute declaration stems from its unhappiness with Telkom issuing retrenchment letters to 105 employees, after it already 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 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.
Mervin says he will this afternoon have a final figure for the number of CWU members expected to take part in the protest. The mass action would see CWU members marching to the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, National Treasury and then to Telkom's offices, where a memorandum will be handed over to Telkom bosses.
Telkom says it is aware of the mass protest and that contingency plans have been put in place to maintain operational stability and ensure customers are not inconvenienced by the action."
"We have received a notice of intention to march from the Communication Workers' Union," says Telkom, adding 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."
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