SOUTH Africa’s Communication Workers Union (CWU) has expressed concern over the country’s second fixed telephone company – Neotel (Pty) Ltd, allegedly embarking on a restructuring exercise without consulting the union.
The CWU spokesman, Matankana Mothapo, told our reporters that his communication union was monitoring closely the developments at Neotel, arguing that hordes of telecommunications workers would lose their jobs as a result of the restructuring exercise.
“The Communication Workers Union has taken note of the provocative manner in which Neotel has decided to deal with this restructuring exercise which is likely to result in job losses.
“As CWU, we have learned through our members in the last quarter of 2010 that there are moves by company management aimed at restructuring.
“CWU expected that the company will do the honourable thing by inviting the union to the necessary consultation sessions as provided for by the country’s Labour Relations Act,” said Mothapo.
He said as the situation stands, CWU has not yet formally received any Labour Relations Act (LRA) Section 189 notice to the effect that Neotel was intending to engage in consultation.
Mothapo said the Union on Friday, 14th January 2011, wrote a letter of demand to Neotel demanding that it be invited for consultation as per the legislative dictates, failing which the union would take action.
“In other words the company (Neotel) shall have declared a big war against not only CWU members but its entire workforce.
“This would not rule out the possibility of approaching the Labour Court for an interdict in an effort to stop any illegitimate, unlawful and illegal mass dismissal process.
“We however, hope that the company will respond positively to our demand to be consulted with a view to jointly explore whatever necessary alternatives to avoid any job loss that would have catastrophic consequences in an economy that has already shed millions of jobs in the past two years, whilst it does not create any new quality jobs,” Mothapo.
TINTSWALO BALOYI, Johannesburg
