Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), who are striking at Vodacom, have had their cellphones blocked by the cellular giant.
The company says SIM cards and e-mail belong to the company, and are to be used for business only.
Dot Field, chief communications officer for the Vodacom group, says the handsets are not blocked, and striking employees are more than welcome to use their own personal SIM cards.
She notes that union members on strike have been put on a lockout, translating into no work, no pay or benefits.
Mfanafuthi Sithebe, spokesman for the CWU, says the union hopes Vodacom will not extend "unilateral changes" to the conditions of employment to medical aid, and members with chronic illnesses, particularly those employees on HIV/AIDS programmes, as this will effectively be "killing employees" who may rely on these benefits to survive.
He says the cellular operator's measures amount to tactics aimed at undermining the Department of Communications' endeavours to normalise the situation.
The strike started on Monday, as part of a protracted dispute between the union and cellular giant about the company's alleged refusal to recognise the CWU as a representative labour organisation.
Related stories:
Vodacom granted interdict
Vodacom workers strike again
Share