Vodacom workers strike again

Johannesburg, 03 Jul 2007

Vodacom employees have again embarked on industrial action, despite the fact that a forensic audit - to determine the Communication Workers Union (CWU) membership at the company - has not yet been completed.

This will be the third time, since March, that CWU members have started strike action at SA's biggest cellular operator. The dispute stems from Vodacom's refusal to recognise the CWU as a representative union.

The company says it would recognise the CWU if it represented at least 30% of Vodacom employees. While the CWU says it meets this threshold, Vodacom claims the union represents less than 10% of its staff.

The Department of Communications intervened in the dispute in early April and engaged the services of Gobodo Forensic and Investigative Accounting to ascertain the CWU membership base at Vodacom.

"We are waiting on a few more documents, but we suspect the audit will be completed in about two weeks," says Grant Buchler, divisional director at Gobodo.

Both sides agreed to wait for the audit report before taking any action. However, yesterday's strike was sparked by the union accusing Vodacom of not co-operating with the auditors.

CWU spokesman Mfanafuthi Sithebe says Vodacom is "playing hide and seek" with the auditors and is not giving its full co-operation to the process.

Other issues

The union has subsequently added secondary grievances, including that workers have to be members of a certain medical aid, although it is not subsidised by the employer.

Sithebe also says overtime is poorly managed at the company, with workers being given short notice of required overtime and being "charged" if they refuse to comply. The union is also demanding a housing subsidy, as well as more skills development, and a greater focus on employment equity.

The union members are picketing and holding demonstrations at Vodacom's offices in Midrand, Durban, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town.

It is unclear how many employees are participating in the industrial action, which began yesterday. Vodacom confirmed 3% of its 4 302 employees (129) embarked on strike action, while the CWU maintains it has more than 1 200 members who are downing tools.

This morning, Sithebe accused Vodacom of making a concerted effort to undermine labour law by not recognising the union. "They want to write their own laws," he says.

Dot Field, chief communications officer for the Vodacom group, describes the working conditions of Vodacom employees as "some of the best in SA". Field says none of the company's workers earn less than R90 000 per year - R7 500 per month.

The company contributes to employees' pension funds and they have a choice of two medical aids, says Field. The company also offers six months' paid maternity leave, cellphone discounts, free access to Netcare 911 emergency services and various "well-being" benefits, she notes.