CWU concerned over jobs in ICT sector

The advancement of technology in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector has cost thousands of jobs in the past few years, the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) said on Monday.

“In the past few years, Telkom had a workforce of 69 000, but now it has only 23 000 workers. There have been huge retrenchments in this sector,” said CWU first deputy president Karthi Pillay.

He was speaking during the union’s conference in Durban, which started on Monday.

Pillay said job loses were mainly due to the advancement of technology in the ICT sector.

“We call on these corporations to make sure that they avoid retrenchments.

Those who have been retrenched have to be retrained and opportunities be created for them,” he said.

The union was also worried that the vacancy rate was high at the Society and Network for Technology in Education through Collaboration (Santec). “Bad management at Santec is also a major problem,” said Pillay.

African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Gwede Mantashe and Congress of South African Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi are expected to address the delegates. The conference ends on Wednesday.—Sapa