OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Sunday 8.00pm.
TELKOM and Post Office workers will return to work on Monday morning, though the wage disputes between the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and the two parastatals remain unresolved.
CWU general-secretary Seleboho Kiti on Sunday said union members returning to duty will continue with industrial action, including go-slows, work-to-rule, and no overtime.
The work piled up during the action will also go undone, in response to the “no-work-no pay” rule enforced since the beginning of the strike.
Telkom spokeswoman Angela Singleton confirmed that employees have been offered salary increases of between 5,5% and 6,5%, with an increase of the minimum wage to R2350 per month.
A nationwide lunchtime protest is scheduled for Friday the 27th prior to the union’s next meeting with Telkom management on Monday, August 30, Kiti said. The CWU is to meet Post Office management at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on Monday.
According to Singleton, 17000 of the 26
000-strong union took part in the Telkom strike action. The CWU also represents about 16000 Post Office workers. Singleton said agreement with the Alliance of Telkom Unions (ATU) was reached on Saturday. Less than 1000 ATU-affiliated employees took part in the strike.
The ATU’s Dirk Hermann on Sunday said four hundred branches nationwide have already been informed of the decision.