The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is set to down tools at Telkom on Thursday, because of a disagreement over salaries.
CWU deputy secretary-general Thabo Mogalane says the union will submit its programme of action today and aims to go on strike on Thursday, although details have yet to be finalised. “The big thing is around salary increase,” he says.
Meshack Dlamini, Telkom's executive for employee relations, says Telkom has not yet received formal confirmation as to the nature of the industrial action. “Until this is received, labour will not be able to embark on protected industrial action,” he adds.
The two parties have been at loggerheads over wage negotiations in a dispute that has been going on for over a year. While a settlement was reached last year, the union reignited the discussions a few months ago.
The union demands Telkom move staff onto higher salary bands before implementing a 7.5% salary increase. It also wants Telkom to rework its profit-sharing model and is pushing the company for a 9%-16% gain-sharing bonus.
Between Thursday and 10 August, union members are expected to picket, go slow and not work any overtime. The next phase of protest, on 11 August, will involve national marches to submit memorandums to the telecommunications company.
After that, workers are expected to stay away from work, the union says.
The CWU, which has a recognition agreement with Telkom, has 44 000 members in the telecommunications, cellular, broadcasting and computing industries.
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