CWU stands firm

By Itumeleng Mogaki for Telkom
Johannesburg, 13 Apr 2006

Disagreement between Telkom and the Communications Workers Union (CWU) regarding the union`s demands will see CWU members embark on a second nationwide strike, scheduled for 18 to 19 April.

CWU members previously participated in mass action on 27 and 28 March.

The fixed-line utility has threatened to lockout employees should further strike action occur, in terms of section 64 (1) of the Labour Relations Act.

Both parties met on Tuesday in Centurion, to try resolve the deadlock.

"[On 18 April] we will deliver a memorandum at Telkom`s management offices in all regions. On the second day, members will form human chains and other forms of protest actions," says CWU head of communications Mfanafuthi Sithebe.

The CWU demands a minimum salary of R5 300 for all members, as well as 100% medical aid contribution from the employer for life and a housing subsidy of R1 350 a month across the board.

Other demands include job security, removal of the compression of grades, removal of the apartheid 20 percentile, fair allocation of Telkom shares and equal distribution of company profit.

Sithebe says at the Tuesday meeting, Telkom agreed to re-train and re-skill its employees and that the agreement would be at its discretion.

However, he says both parties failed to reach consensus on profit-sharing. "We are calling for an equal allocation of Telkom`s share and equal distribution of company profit," he says.

Telkom has stated that the agreement signed by the Association of Telkom Unions is the one that is on the table for CWU`s acceptance.

Telkom says it has "extensive" contingencies in place to minimise possible negative impact in service delivery to its customers during next week`s strike action.

"Telkom is not prepared to further negotiate the terms of its offer with CWU," says Charlotte Mokoena, Telkom group executive for human resources. "However, the company believes the offer to CWU remains fair and reasonable."