Union to picket Telkom this week

By Damaria Senne for Telkom
Johannesburg, 04 Apr 2006

Telkom has given the Communications Workers Union (CWU) notice of its intention to lockout CWU members on 6 and 7 April, says the union. CWU intends to start a go-slow tomorrow, a day before the lockout starts.

CWU and union Solidarity have not accepted Telkom`s wage offer, which was made late last month. The offer to the unions expires tomorrow.

According to CWU, Telkom has made it clear it expects CWU members who want to work on those days to accept its final offer before they enter Telkom`s premises.

CWU members will also picket outside Telkom premises, barricading the buildings, says Mfanafuthi Sithebe, CWU head of communications.

"We don`t expect CWU members in any case to be at work on the said days, but there might be a few who are not committed to the strike action," Sithebe says.

Sithebe says Telkom`s lockout move is not unexpected, as the fixed-line operator has used the strategy before.

Selling out

Union members who accept Telkom`s revised offer will be considered by the union to be selling out to the cause, Sithebe says.

"It will definitely weaken the power of the negotiators."

Sithebe also notes that if CWU members accept the offer, then technically the union will have accepted the offer.

He says Telkom`s offer will only be implemented on 25 April, with profit-sharing to be implemented in July.

"There is enough time to reach an amicable agreement and not bow under pressure from [Telkom] management," Sithebe says.

Still consulting

Solidarity is still consulting members on Telkom`s revised wage offer made on 24 March. The offer expires on 5 April.

Sithebe says he hopes Solidarity members will join CWU in its strike action, as they are all part of a coalition working for a common goal.

"If a coalition is failing to flex its muscles for the benefit of its members, then what is the use of it?" he says.

Solidarity spokesmen were in meetings and unable to respond to media enquires at the time of publication.

A Telkom spokesperson says it is still not issuing statements regarding the wage negotiations.