TELECOMMUNICATIONS utility Telkom said it will lock out striking workers from Wednesday in an effort to break a wage deadlock. Telkom gave the Communication Workers Union notice on Friday that it will lock out union members who do not accept the company’s wage offer, said Telkom spokesperson Amanda Singleton. “Although Telkom has weathered the disruptions of the last three weeks without any serious impact on customer service or business operations, CWU clearly has no intention of reaching a realistic settlement on salaries,” Singleton said. The union is demanding 10% wage increases for support staff, 8% for operational staff and 7% for supervisors. Telkom’s offer, which was raised by R50-million to more than R400-million, includes increases of 6,5% for support staff, 6% for operational staff and 5,5% for supervisors.