Johannesburg (IT News Africa) — TELKOM, facing industrial action from its workforce, has shrugged off accusations that it is not supporting the national transformation agenda saying it has remained committed to transformation goals while striving to attain sustainability by preserving jobs.
Chief executive, Reuben September said Telkom’s senior management has identified disparities that have resulted from historical matters that required urgent consideration.
“The objective is to eliminate salary disparities in the shortest possible timeframe within the context of Group affordability. Telkom has consistently addressed this matter with various stakeholders, including
organised labour, and this issue remains an important part of the Company’s current negotiation process with the Communication Workers Union,” he said.
He said on the subject of transformation, Telkom is proud that its overall black representivity has reached 62 percent while at senior management level black representation is currently 67.86 percent.
He stated “This tangibly demonstrates the value that Telkom attaches to workplace diversity and the Company is actively pursuing a point in time where we will be able to say that our workforce truly reflects the South African demographics.”
September said Telkom’s black employees on average receive 50 to 60 hours of training per annum and specific programmes have been developed to assist in further career pathing and advancement.
For the financial year 2008/9, 257 candidates were trained in Value Chain Management and Technology Management. Of these participants, 50% were female and 78% were black (with 55.6% being African), he said.
In addition, September said, a total of 100 employees graduated from the Advanced Operations Management Development Programme (AOMDP) in November 2008.
“We are hopeful that we will find a satisfactory resolution to all the matters raised by CWU in a manner that will be affordable to the Company and I commit myself and my management to transforming the organisation to create a better future for all its employees,” he concluded. CWU and Telkom are involved in a dispute over salaries and alleged disparities in a number of issues.
By Mthulisi Sibanda
