Dual-listed South African telecommunications giant Telkom and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have signed a collective recognition agreement, in line with the commitment of both parties to foster a harmonious and constructive relationship going forward.
Telkom said on Tuesday that the new agreement is suitable for it as a public company and is aligned with amendments made to the Labour Relations Act over the past several years. It has been simplified to ensure its user-friendliness and to ensure a common interpretation of its content.
The CWU represents about 40% of Telkom’s bargaining unit.
Telkom’s employee relations executive, George Nkadimeng, said: “The new agreement is expected to enhance the relationship between both parties, as there is now a common understanding of the rights and obligations of both parties.”
He added that the parties have made a deliberate decision not to include many of the annexures of the previous agreement to ensure that the new agreement remains functional through its simplicity of focus.
“Other elements that were included as annexures to the previous agreement will now be treated as separate agreements. Negotiations will commence before the first week of September, in line with the memorandum of understanding signed between both parties yesterday [Monday].
“These include the shop-steward agreement, disciplinary procedure and code, the grievance procedure and the incapacity procedure,” Nkadimeng said.
Telkom and the Alliance of Telkom Unions also signed a collective recognition agreement on April 1 to foster a similar harmonious and constructive relationship going forward.
Both parties also signed a full-time shop-steward agreement, which spells out the roles, responsibilities and reporting structure for full-time shop stewards who report to and contract with Telkom Employee Relations at regional level.
The parties also signed the disciplinary procedure and code, grievance procedure and incapacity procedure in May. — I-Net Bridge