Vodacom is going to court again, this time to prevent striking workers from violence and damaging property, the Communication Workers’ Union said on Tuesday.
Vodacom lodged an application for the second interdict last week and the matter would be heard on Wednesday, said CWU spokesperson Mfanafuthi Sithebe.
”Vodacom is citing possible violence and damages … CWU publicly challenges Vodacom to provide any proof of violence or damages sustained.
”No damages to persons or property have been reported … we will oppose their application,” he said.
Vodacom’s first application, intended to halt the strike, was denied.
Industrial action at the cellphone company has entered its third week.
Workers’ main grievance was that they had no voice at the company. The company required 30% of their 4 302-strong workforce to join the CWU before it would negotiate with the union.
Union members will march from Gandhi Square in central Johannesburg to a nearby Vodacom call centre on Wednesday.
”We will expose the horrendous working conditions at this centre that Vodacom wants to hide,” said Sithebe.
Workers at Vodacom downed tools on July 2, demanding recognition of the CWU.
Vodacom had not immediately responded to written questions on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) pledged its full support for the CWU in the dispute with Vodacom.
”Vodacom is a big, highly profitable company — it has no excuse for not meeting these reasonable demands from its workers,” Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said.
”There can be no justification for the employer’s stubborn refusal to give CWU full recognition.”
Craven said the absence of such recognition subjected workers to disciplinary hearings without proper or fair representation, for instance.
”Some even appear before disciplinary hearings without any representation. That is why the union is rightly demanding that Vodacom recognise shop stewards elected by the workers.”
He added that the federation stood ready to respond to any request for assistance from the CWU. — Sapa