Business Report writes that the Federations of Unions of SA (Fedusa) and the Information Communications and Technology Union (ICTU) have called on Telkom to put an immediate end to a renewed retrenchment process.
Last week, the telecoms company announced it was lifting the suspension of a Section 189 consultation process that could lead to the retrenchment of 3,000 workers. In response to the Covid-19 lockdown, the company suspended the consultation process as facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), closed Telkom stores and spent about R41.7 million on personal protective equipment. Chief executive Sipho Maseko now stated: Looking at how Covid-19 has impacted people, economies and businesses around the world, it’s clear that this virus and its impact will be with us for a while, in the least, for the remainder of this year.” Fedusa’s Riefdah Ajam said they were horrified by the “dishonest opportunism, as the treacherous Telkom board continued to show its hand through deliberate exploitation of economic challenges”. Fedusa added that the retrenchments had nothing do with the lockdown, but the utility’s management ineptitude. ICTU’s Thabang Mothelo said the union was still studying the lawful effects, but claimed that Telkom had proceeded to confirm the number of appointments, which were supposed to be consulted on. “As far as the union is concerned, appointments emanating from a Section 189 process can only be done once parties have concluded the consultation process. Our view is that Telkom has contaminated the process by appointing senior executives while the consultation was ongoing,” Mothelo stated. Telkom said it would be engaging with organised labour and the CCMA to set a date to resume the Section 189 consultation process.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sizwe Dlamini on page 9 of Business Report of 1 June 2020
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