Vodacom has obtained an interim court order preventing workers belonging to the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) from continuing with their strike, the CWU said on Monday.
”It is unfortunate that the judge granted Vodacom the interim interdict. That has forced us to suspend our strike,” CWU spokesperson Mfanafuthi Sithebe said.
”Tomorrow [Tuesday] we were supposed to continue picketing outside Vodacom. We had also planned to hold marches all over the country on Wednesday.”
CWU members held pickets outside Vodacom offices around the country on Monday.
The industrial action followed an unresolved dispute on the recognition of the CWU by Vodacom.
While the union argued for recognition, the company said only when it had a 30% membership, previously agreed upon with the union, would it be recognised.
”Vodacom subscribes to the principle of freedom of association and therefore any member of staff may freely join a union should they wish to do so,” it said in a statement on Monday.
”The CWU agreed in a mutual cooperation agreement with Vodacom at the CCMA [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration] in 1999 on a representative rate of [about] 30%. In Vodacom South Africa the CWU currently has representation of less than 10%.”
The company said the Labour Relations Act provided for recognition of unions by companies, and if any union had sufficient representation, it would abide by the act.
Both parties would return to the Labour Court on March 19 and argue for and against the continuation of the strike.
Sithebe said the CWU was confident that the court would rule in their favour as the workers’ demands were legitimate.
”Our objective is to ensure that Vodacom workers are unionised and that they are taken care of.”
He disputed Vodacom’s claim that the union represented less than 10% of Vodacom employees.
”More than 1 200 Vodacom workers have joined our union … that [Vodacom’s claim] is a pathetic lie,” Sithebe said.
Sithebe said the ongoing strike was well supported. Vodacom disputed this, saying fewer than 200 of its 4 500 employees participated in a picket organised by the union on Monday.
The company said the working conditions of its employees ”were acknowledged as some of the best in South Africa”.
Meanwhile, the South African Communist Party (SACP) expressed solidarity with the striking workers.
”The arrogance displayed by the management of Vodacom in firstly refusing to recognise the rights of the workers to belong to a trade union, and their subsequent actions [in refusing] to recognise the CWU as a legitimate representative of the workers, signals the growing attitude of big business to undermine both the Constitution of our country and workers’ rights,” SACP spokesperson Malesela Maleka said.
He said the economy was growing, but was not creating ”quality and sustainable” jobs. This was seen in working conditions at Vodacom.
Malesela called on all South African Vodacom subscribers to participate in the campaign by switching off their cellphones between 1pm and 1.10pm on Monday and Tuesday to force Vodacom to return to negotiations. — Sapa