While Telkom and its three communication unions have signed an agreement regarding the monopoly`s proposed job cuts, trade union Solidarity claims the unions have still not reached an agreement over the rationale behind the retrenchments.
Part of the agreement signed by the three unions - Solidarity, the Communication Workers Union and the SA Communications Union - will allow the unions insight into the process Telkom will use when offering voluntary retrenchment packages to a number of staff, which begin today.
"According to the rules of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) a company can start offering voluntary packages as soon as the consultation process is finished," says Solidarity spokesman Jaco Kleynhans.
The consultation process was concluded yesterday, with the signing of the agreement which concerns Telkom`s plans to shed 1 381 jobs this year.
The monopoly claims the jobs will become redundant due to market dynamics, improvements in technology and the automation of a number of systems.
Telkom also says that apart from the voluntary severance packages, employees whose jobs become redundant will have a choice of going into the Agency for Career Opportunities for up to 12 months with full pay and benefits, while awaiting redeployment or reskilling within the ICT sector.
"A task team that will include representatives of the unions will monitor the implementation of the voluntary packages," says Kleynhans.
"In the meantime, the unions have asked our legal team to look at possible legal action which can be taken to fight the company`s rationale for retrenchments.
"The agreement the unions have signed with Telkom resolves some of our differences with them, but the dispute about the company`s rationale for retrenchments has not yet been settled."
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