A decision to appoint a mediator to facilitate a speedy resolution to the current impasse between Vodacom and the Communication Workers Union has been agreed to by both parties, the parties announced on Tuesday.
On Monday the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) threatened to call for a boycott of Vodacom unless it extended organisational rights to the CWU.
Satawu would ”seriously consider” withdrawing its contracts for cellphones and airtime and calling on its members and staff to terminate their personal contracts, Satawu general secretary Randall Howard said in a statement on Monday.
It would also propose that the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) consider a boycott by all its affiliates.
CWU members at Vodacom downed tools on July 2.
The next day, Vodacom obtained an interdict preventing protesters from entering, interfering with or obstructing access to company premises — specifically blocking the entrance to Vodaworld in Midrand.
In a memorandum handed to the company, the CWU demanded that it be unconditionally recognised, allowed to represent its members at disciplinary hearings, and that members be given leave for trade union activities.
Vodacom said from the start of the strike that it would only unconditionally recognise the union when it held 30% membership. At the moment, it holds 10%.
”Vodacom has recognised the CWU since 1999 and has granted them certain organisational rights despite insufficient representation,” Vodacom Group chief communications officer Dot Field said in a statement on Monday.
”Additionally, Vodacom has also had ongoing discussions with them to grant them further rights, despite insufficient representation,” she said.
”The CWU’s demand is that Vodacom grants them rights as though they represented the majority of employees in our company.
”We will not do so since 90% of our employees do not want us to do so.”
Field said the CWU had at no stage indicated unhappiness with the working conditions of Vodacom employees, but rather that these were among the ”finest” in the country.
”This impasse with the union is about the union’s credibility and financial prosperity as opposed to the working conditions of Vodacom employees,” said Field.
Satawu, however, has condemned the company’s attitude as ”arrogant and union bashing”.
”We cannot allow this company to deny our comrades their basic trade union rights in the context of our ongoing national and class struggle,” said Howard.
Pledging its ”full and continued solidarity” with the CWU, Satawu said it would continue to call on its members in the cleaning, security and transport sectors to join striking CWU members in Johannesburg, Cape Town, the Free State, Port Elizabeth and Durban when they were on lunch and off duty. – Sapa