PRESS RELEASE - VODACOM STRIKE

Press release:
March 8, 2007

Press Statement
Vodacom industrial action and other related matters
the non resolved CCMA dispute mainly on the recognition of the union, CWU, and the organisational rights
the shifting of goal post by Vodacom management forced the union to seek for the intervention of the CCMA

the certificate of protected industrial action
this certificate confirms the non willingness of the Vodacom management to recognise workers union

massive recruitment (in line with the COSATU 2015 plan) and consultation with external stakeholders

the horrible conditions at Vodacom have failed to stop the unionisation of the workforce – workers have been joining in numbers
CWU will continue to recruit members in the mobile subsector in line with the COSATU 2015 plan

disciplinary hearings, dual deductions and cancellation of union membership
members of the interim committee that constituted the union delegation to the CCMA hearing have been summoned to disciplinary hearings
former MWASA members who have migrated to Communication Workers Union have been victimised through dual deductions, although the CWU forms states the intentions(s) and the wishes the of the employee
illegal termination of membership, particularly CWU membership, has been the order of the day

unlawful lock-outs
the unlawful ill-treatment of CWU members who were coming from the team building exercise and members of the interim committee by the intransigent and myopic management confirms the violation of civil liberties at Vodacom

management encouraged leave of absence
management is encouraging members of the interim committee to apply for leave of absence during the planned industrial action

48 hour notice – dated the 7th March
The union has formally notified Vodacom about the planned industrial action
Notification addressed to the Executive Human Resource (Lungi Ndlovu) and Industrial Relations Manager (Ursula Nunes)
The planned industrial action will unfold in the following manner


As from March 12, 2007 our members will embark in the following actions in support of the granting of organisational rights;

Phase 1 (one)
· March 12 and 13, 2007 – Picketing in the morning and during lunch hour
· March 14, 2007 – March on Vodacom Headquarters, pickets in other facilities
· March 15 to 20 – Work to rule.

Should there be no settlement of the dispute by the March 20th , 2007, workers will embark on phase 2 (two) of the national industrial action which will include go-slows, selective work, further picketing and downing of tools. The details of the phase 2 (two) will be communicated to all media houses in due course. Our organisation is also contemplating an application in terms of section 69 of the LRA, but we are optimistic that this action may not be necessary. The notice to embark on a national strike does not close the possibility for the parties to meet and resolve amicably before, during or after the planned industrial action.

Vodacom BEE
the Vodafone empowerment shares
the role of workers
and the role of unions at Vodacom
Vodacom management has made it a point that unions and workers are not given an opportunity to input on the planned BEE deals. We strongly believe that the formation (and the funding by the management) of the Consultative Committee is one of the anti union tactics applied by Vodacom management


ICT BEE Charter
BEE charter process and facilitation by NEDLAC
compliance by other sectors
ICT BEE charter and alignment with dti BEE codes
The legal framework stipulates that the BEE Charter process should be facilitated by NEDLAC. CWU finds it difficult to participate in any process outside NEDLAC. We therefore call upon NEDLAC to ensure that the alignment ICT BEE Charter with the dti codes is properly managed.
End

Questions and answers about the strike
Click HERE to post a questionYou can also refer to the Labour Department's Basic Guide to Strikes, Lockouts and Picketing by clicking hereMany relevant sections of the laws and comments on strikes are posted on our sister websiteClick on the image below to download a copy of CWU's strike certificate:
Posted by Balam at 02:26

PICKETING AS PER THE LRA

Picketing 16(1) A registered trade union may authorise a picket by its members andsupporters for the purposes of peacefully demonstrating-(a) in support of any protected strike; or(b) in opposition to any lockout.(2) Despite any law regulating the right of assembly, a picket authorisedterms of I subsection (1), may be held-(a) in any place to which the public has access but outside the premisesof an employer; or(b) with the permission of the employer, inside the employer's premises. (3) The permission referred to in subsection (2)(b) may not beunreasonably withheld.(4) If requested to do so by the registered trade union or the employer,the Commission must attempt to secure an agreement between the parties tothe dispute on rules that should apply to any picket in relation to thatstrike or lock-out.(5) If there is no agreement, the Commission must establish picketingrules, and in doing so must take account of-(a) the particular circumstances of the workplace or other premises whereit is intended that the right to picket is to be exercised; and(b) any relevant code of good practice.(6) The rules established by the Commission may provide for picketing byemployees on their employer's premises if the Commission is satisfied thatthe employer's permission has been unreasonably withheld.(7) The provisions of section 67, read with the changes required by thecontext, apply to the call for, organisation of, or participation in apicket that complies I with the provisions of this section.(8) Any party to a dispute about any of the following issues may referthe dispute in writing to the Commission-(a) an allegation that the effective use of the right to picket is beingundermined;(b) an alleged material contravention of subsection (1) or (2);(c) an alleged material breach of an agreement concluded in terms ofsubsection (4); or(d) an alleged material breach of a rule established in terms ofsubsection (5).(9) The party who refers the dispute to the Commission must satisfy itthat a copy of the referral has been served on all the other parties tothe dispute.(10) The Commission must attempt to resolve the dispute throughconciliation.(11) If the dispute remains unresolved, any party to the dispute mayrefer it to the Labour Court for adjudication.

STRIKE OR LOCK-OUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH LRA

(1) In this Chapter, "protected strike" means a strike that complies withthe provisions of this Chapter and "protected lock-out" means a lock-outthat complies with the provisions of this Chapter.(2) A person does not commit a defect or a breach of contract by takingpart in-(a) a protected strike or a protected lock-out; or(b) any conduct in contemplation or in furtherance of a protected strikeor a protected lock-out.(3) Despite subsection (2), an employer is not obliged to remunerate anemployee for services that the employee does not render during a protectedstrike or a protected lock-out, however-(a) if the employee's remuneration includes payment in kind in respect ofaccommodation, the provision of food and other basic amenities of life,the employer, at the request of the employee, must not discontinue paymentin kind during the strike or lock-out; and(b) after the end of the strike or lock-out, the employer may recover themonetary value of the payment in kind made at the request of the employeeduring the strike or lock-out from the employee by way of civilproceedings instituted in the Labour Court.(4) An employer may not dismiss an employee for participating in aprotected strike or for any conduct in contemplation or in furtherance ofa protected strike.(5) Subsection (4) does not preclude an employer from fairly dismissingan employee in accordance with the provisions of Chapter VIII for a reasonrelated to the employee's conduct during the strike, or for a reason basedon the employer's operational requirements.(6) Civil legal proceedings may not be instituted against any person for-(a) participating in a protected strike or a protected lock-out; or (b) any conduct in contemplation or in furtherance of a protected strike or aprotected lock-out.(7) The failure by a registered trade union or a registered employers'organisation to comply with a provision in its constitution requiring itto conduct a ballot of those of its members in respect of whom it intendsto call a strike or lock-out may not give rise to, or constitute a groundfor, any litigation that will affect the legality of, and the protectionconferred by this section on, the strike or lock-out.(8) The provisions of subsections (2) and (6) do not apply to any act incontemplation or in furtherance of a strike or a lock-out, if that act isan offence.(9) Any act in contemplation or in furtherance of a protected strike or aprotected lock-out that is a contravention of the Basic Conditions ofEmployment Act or the Wage Act does not constitute an offence.

DEFINITION OF "STRIKE"

"strike" means the partial or complete concerted refusal to work, or the retardation or obstruction of work, by persons who are or have beenemployed by the same employer or by different employers, for the purpose of remedying a grievance or resolving a dispute in respect of any matterof mutual interest between employer and employee, and every reference to"work" in this definition includes overtime work, whether it is voluntary or compulsory;

PROTECTED STRIKES

In order for a strike to be protected, the strike must take place afterall dispute settlement procedures detailed in the LRA or in any bargainingcouncil or recognition/collective agreement which may exist bet theparties have been exhausted. Shd any member fail to follow the relevantdispute settlement procedure the strike will not be protected and theemployer can seek certain remedies through the act. these remedies includethe employer applying to the labour court for an interdict in order torestrain the union and its members, and applying to the labour court toaward the payment of just and equitable compensation in respect of thestrike. should the members not follow the required procedures inexercising their right to strike, this may constitute a fair reason for dismissal.

GO SLOWS AS AN ALTERNATIVE FORM OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION

Go slows are a method of bringing demands to the attention of management bydisrupting production without bringing the operation to a halt. go slowshave oftenbeen unprocedural in the past (unprotected, in terms of the current LRAdefinition.employees taking part in a go slow, feel less vulnerable to managementaction thanif they embark on a full unprotected or even protected strike. go slowsare oftenvery difficult to prove conclusively. as a result go slows sometimes occurwhilst adispute is being dealt with to add pressure to the negotiations.there are a number of advantages of this type of action from the employeespoint ofview. firstly, as they are still at work, it is very difficult formanagement totake control of the production process. (ie use non-strikers to maintainproduction). 2ndly, they do not lose pay, unless they are paid accordingto output.

CWU STRIKE CERTIFICATE

Hi All,

Please click on the link below to view the strike certificate as issued by the CCMA making our planned industrial action both protected and lawful.



Strike Certificate.pdf

CWU MEMBERS TO SHOW UNITY AND STRENGTH

Attention all CWU members!

The time for us to act has come. We need to start showing the Company ourstrengths in numbers.To achieve this we have decided to start an awareness campaign.

As you are all well aware, we are not allowed to wear our CWU t-shirts at work. Although this is an unlawful instruction, we will nevertheless obey it, as we do not want to jeopardize any of the members jobs.

We, the Interim Vodacom Negotiating Committee (IVNC), have decided to ask all members to please wear white T-shirts on Friday, 9 March 2007. You will be issued with a red and yellow ribbon which will be attached to yourleft shoulder.

We will send out more communiqué before Friday.

Comradely regards,

The Interim Vodacom Negotiating Committee

WORK TO RULE

Work to rule action is an effective form of industrial action,particularly where employees work on their own initiatives or generallyperform tasks or take actions outside of work rules or not specificallydefined in their job descriptions or skills categories. it entailsperforming only those functions strictly required or permitted in terms oftheir employment contracts and job limitations

STAYAWAYS

Stayaways are generally a response to socio political or socio economicissues including the demonstration of solidarity with a political cause ordrawing public attention to a political event or grievance. stayaways donot constitute a strike as defined in the LRA since such action is notbeing used by employees to pressurise the employee to agree to workrelated issues.The LRA allows registered trade unions or federations of trade unions toserve a notice of their intention to participate in protest action topromote or defend the socio economic interests of workers. 7 days noticemust be given of the unions intention to exercise this right.becos of the likelihood of intimidation of workers in the townships toparticipate in stayaways, it is essential for management and unions tohandle the situation with sensitivity. rules to cater for stayaways shouldbe negotiated with employees in advance. the generally accepted approachon the part of management is one of "no work, no pay"members participating in a stayaway do not committ a delict or breach ofcontract by their actions and an employer may not dismiss an employee forparticipating in a protected stayaway unless for a reason based on theoperational requirements of the employer, and after a clear ultimatum hasbeen given

DEDUCTIONS OF TRADE UNION SUBS

13. Deduction of trade union subscriptions or levies(1) Any employee who is a member of a representative trade union mayauthorise the employer in writing to deduct subscriptions or leviespayable to that trade union from the employee's wages.(2) An employer who receives an authorisation in terms of subsection (1)must begin making the authorised deduction as soon as possible and mustremit the amount deducted to the representative trade union by not laterthan the 15th day of the month first following the date each deduction wasmade.(3) An employee may revoke an authorisation given in terms of subsection(1) by giving the employer and the representative trade union one month'swritten notice or, if the employee works in the public service, threemonths' written notice.(4) An employer who receives a notice in terms of subsection (3) mustcontinue to make the authorised deduction until the notice period hasexpired and then must stop making the deduction.(5) With each monthly remittance, the employer must give therepresentative trade union-(a) a list of the names of every member from whose wages the employer hasmade the deductions that are included in the remittance;(b) details of the amounts deducted and remitted and the period to whichthe deductions relate; and(c) a copy of every notice of revocation in terms of subsection (3).

STRIKES AND LOCK OUTS - DEFINITIONS AS PER THE LRA

STRIKES AND LOCK OUTS64. Right to strike and recourse to lock out (1)
Every employee has the right to strike and every employer has recourse to lockout if- (a) the issue in dispute has been referred to a council or to the Commission asrequired by this Act, and- (i) a certificate stating that the dispute remains unresolved has been issued; or (ii) a period of 30 days, or any extension of that period agreed to between theparties to the dispute, has elapsed since the referral was received by the councilor the Commission; and after that- (b) in the case of a proposed strike, at least 48 hours' notice of the commencementof the strike, in writing, has been given to the employer, unless- (i) the issue in dispute relates to a collective agreement to be concluded in acouncil, in which case, notice must have been given to that council; or (ii) the employer is a member of an employers' organisation that is a party to thedispute, in which case, notice must have been given to that employers' organisation;or (c) in the case of a proposed lock-out, at least 48 hours' notice of thecommencement of the lock-out, in writing, has been given to any trade union that isa party to the dispute, or, if there is no such trade union, to the employees,unless the issue in dispute relates to a collective agreement to be concluded in acouncil, in which case, notice must have been given to that council; or (d) the case of a proposed strike or lock-out where the State is the employer, atleast seven days' notice of the commencement of the strike or lock-out has beengiven to the parties contemplated in paragraphs (b) and (c). (2) If the issue in dispute concerns a refusal to bargain, an advisory award musthave been made in terms of section 135(3)(c) before notice is given in terms ofsubsection (1)(b) or (c). A refusal to bargain includes- (a) a refusal- (i) to recognise a trade union as a collective bargaining agent; or (ii) to agree to establish a bargaining council; (b) a withdrawal of recognition of a collective bargaining agent; (c) a resignation of a party from a bargaining council; (d) a dispute about- (i) appropriate bargaining units; (ii) appropriate bargaining levels; or (iii) bargaining subjects. (3) The requirements of subsection (1) do not apply to a strike or a lock-out if- (a) the parties to the dispute are members of a council, and the dispute has beendealt with by that council in accordance with its constitution; (b) the strike or lock-out conforms with the procedures in a collective agreement; (c) the employees strike in response to a lock-out by their employer that does notcomply with the provisions of this Chapter; (d) the employer locks out its employees in response to their taking part in astrike that does not conform with the provisions of this Chapter; or (e) the employer fails to comply with the requirements of subsections (4) and (5). (4) Any employee who or any trade union that refers a dispute about a unilateralchange to terms and conditions of employment to a council or the Commission in termsof subsection (1)(a) may, in the referral, and for the period referred to insubsection (1)(a)- (a) require the employer not to implement unilaterally the change to terms andconditions of employment; or (b) if the employer has already implemented the change unilaterally, require theemployer to restore the terms and conditions of employment that applied before thechange. (5) The employer must comply with a requirement in terms of subsection (4) within48 hours of service of the referral on the employer.

WORKER RIGHTS AS PER THE COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTION

2. Section 27, which is in the Chapter on Fundamental Rights in the Constitution entrenches the following rights:
"(1) Every person shall have the right to fair labour practices.
(2) Workers shall have the right to form and join trade unions, and employers shall have the right to form and join employers' organisations.
(3) Workers and employers shall have the right to organise and bargain collectively.
(4) Workers shall have the right to strike for the purpose of collective bargaining.
(5) Employers' recourse to the lockout for the purpose of collective bargaining shall not be impaired, subject to subsection 33(l)."

MASS MEETING!!!

Let yourself be heard, let your money (membership fee) work for you. Attend the below mentioned meeting and add your views. The time has arrived for action; The time for fear is no more. Remember if we surrender, we surrender our values but not just our values but also the values of our comrades who fought & died for this country for us to deserve to be respected, get decent salaries, good working condition without intimidation or victimization.








NOTICE OF CWU MEETING


This is to serve as notice to all the members of the CWU at Vodacom campuses around Gauteng about a meeting that will be held


DATE: 08 MARCH 2007
VENUE:SAINT MONICAS CHURCH
TIME: 17:30

DIRECTIONS:

From Vodacom drive toward Lever Rd,Turn Left, cross New Road set of robots(Sanridge Mall), pass 2nd robots (Carlswald Mall),3rd robots turn Right. Pass a complex on the left, Pass a short street turning left. The church will also be on the left.





AGENDA

CWUvs Vodacom – CCMA
Strike Certificate
Strike Committee
Actions against Vodacom plus dates
Members Concerns

HOW UNIONS ARE HAMSTRUNG IN THE PR ARENA

I received what I suppose was intended as a slap over the wrist this week. From Vodacom.It was because of the column written last week about the dispute between the company and a group of unionised workers wearing Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) T-shirts. The company response noted with “concern” that I had not first obtained the view of the Vodacom’s “chief communications officer,” Dot Field before writing.This reveals a misunderstanding about what this column is about. And the manner in which the message was issued underlined just why such a column should exist in the way it does, as a reflection of the views, perceptions and attitudes of and within the labour movement.Because, although the message was signed by Dot Field, it was issued by Mari-Louise Esterhuizen of Magna Carta, the public relations wing of the major advertising agency TBWA\ Hunt\Lascaris. In bold red capital letters it also informed me that “MAGNA CARTA MAY NOT BE QUOTED ON BEHALF OF VODACOM”.I have obeyed this injunction, but feel it is necessary to point out the connection with Magna Carta because it highlights the disproportionate balance of resources and public relations expertise that exists between employers and unions. This has long been a source of resentment within the labour movement.It is not just a national, regional or continental reality, it applies internationally. The labour movement maintains, with apparent justification, that at least part of the reason is that most mainstream media outlets are owned or controlled by individuals or groups that share the interests of, or are beholden to, the corporate world.As a result of this imbalance of resources and access, employers all too often win the media battle in terms of getting across their viewpoints to the general public. This, in turn, causes widespread anger about the media among rank and file trade unionists, with journalists frequently in the firing line.But there are a few spaces within the mainstream media for the voice of labour. With few exceptions, on a weekly basis, 48 times a year for the past ten years, this has been one — and remains so.This column reflects labour. It is not a dispassionate analysis of industrial relations; in it I accept that employers and employees have conflicting interests; that it is in the interests of the former is to maximise profits; the latter to improve wages and conditions which have a negative impact on profits. Here are to be found some of the varied viewpoints of unionists and unions.They exist within our liberal parliamentary democracy, where the exploitative nature of capital is ameliorated by the existence of independent trade unions and by the labour laws they, as collectives of voters, are able to to influence.But while the trade union movement is numerically by far the largest formation in society its financial resources and public relations expertise are puny compared with those that especially large companies and employer organisations can muster.Corporate public relations are constantly in play in often sophisticated and — as many unionists see it — underhand ways to win journalist friends and influence media people and output.Several unionists remarked this week that Vodacom’s response to me was clear evidence of this. It was summed up by Mfanafuthi Sithebe, spokesperson of the CWU: “In the media battle, it’s like a boxing match where the union fighter has his hands tied behind his back.”However, the union fighter is the numerical heavyweight. In South Africa, the three main trade union federations alone have a combined membership of more than 2 million workers. And that weight has swung behind the CWU.Says Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven: “On Wednesday this week the Cosatu central executive committee resolved ot give full support to the CWU.” After examining the reports regarding Vodacom and the CWU, the federation resolved that the employer had displayed both “arrogance and ruthlessness” in its dealings with the union.Cosatu’s statement ended with the traditional “Viva! CWU, viva!” salutation, which was echoed by National Council of Unions (Nactu) national organiser, Chaka Leepo, although the CWU is a Cosatu affiliate.Says Leepo: “Employers have to realise that workers have the right of freedom of association — the right to organise — and that no employer has an absolute right to dictate to workers what they should wear.”Federation of Unions (Fedusa) general secretary Dennis George, concurs. : “Many employers do not have regard for our constitution and our rights; in the pubic relations field they often have millions of rands they can throw at issues.”As the unions see it, this is a clear case of an injury to one being an injury to all. And the CWU has pointed this out in an open letter to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela who recently staged her 70th birthday celebration at a Vodacom venue in Sandton.“We are now asking for everyone who supports the democratic rights of workers to take a stand on principle,” says Sithebe.

Communications Workers are finding their collective voice in Vodacom

Communications workers are finding their collective voice February 23, 2007In an action that unions have condemned as both illegal and stupid, Vodacom yesterday locked out workers from its Service Park centre in Sandton because they were wearing Communication Workers' Union (CWU) T-shirts. Most of 80 workers returning by bus from a company "team building exercise" at Muldersdrift were wearing their union shirts when they arrived. According to CWU shop stewards Aubrey Tshabalala and Gary van Niekerk, the workers were ordered to leave as they stepped off two buses. Security personnel were brought in and the doors of the premises were locked. "It looked like the whole management came down. They said we were causing unpleasant scenes and so we had to leave," says Tshabalala. "There was no disturbance, no protest. But more securities arrived, and some were armed." The workers sent for Van Niekerk, who arrived as they gathered at the boom. Some workers left, while others summoned help from union headquarters, which have been conducting a long-running dispute with Vodacom. For the CWU organisers, this was proof that Vodacom management is determined to crush the union. "Their action was illegal, but the illegality was exceeded only by the sheer stupidity," says CWU spokesperson Mfanafuthi Sithebe. The action has inflamed an already tense situation and there were talks yesterday among trade union investment firms about raising awkward questions at the Vodacom annual general meeting next month. However, some CWU organisers think the latest action by Vodacom could provide a boost to union membership. Many Vodacom workers who are not CWU members have already been angered by comments reportedly made by Vodacom managing director Shameel Aziz-Jacoob. Minutes of a meeting held last August, in which Aziz-Jacoob expressed concern about growing union influence at Service Park, were leaked. The meeting was of the customer care division of the National Consultative Committee, established by Vodacom as an alternative to trade unions. Following Aziz-Jacoob's expressions of concern, the meeting resolved that the committee would "embark on educating the staff on the benefits of engaging with their reps instead of a union" as part of an "awareness campaign". Union members were enraged and decisions were made to redouble recruitment. The international Trade Union Solidarity Network provided funds for a dedicated organiser, and when membership topped 750 the union demanded recognition.
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The company refused because the CWU had not reached 30 percent of the workforce - the minimum threshold for recognition. However, no figures were available on the exact size of the workforce, so the matter went to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. Sithebe says: "There, finally, we got an official figure of 4 500, so we know exactly what to aim for." However, there have been increasing allegations of victimisation and of union stop order applications not being processed. Several workers say they have been told by supervisors that union membership will be "harmful" to their careers. It was against this background that the CWU launched a recruitment campaign last month to declare a dispute with Vodacom. Strike committees were established around the country. Yesterday the union claimed that such committees existed in every centre except Port Elizabeth. The Port Elizabeth strike committee was scheduled to be in place by this morning, when the CWU planned to issue a 48-hour notice of possible strike action to Vodacom. In preparation for this announcement, contact was made with communications workers' unions in Lesotho, Zambia and Tanzania, where Vodacom/Vodaphone operates. On Wednesday, union representatives from these countries met in Johannesburg with their CWU counterparts to discuss problems and agree on possible action. "Communication workers in these countries have similar problems to those we have, regarding both union recognition and conditions of work, so we are looking at combined action," says SithebeThe core of the dispute is recognition, which the unions see as essential to the protection of jobs and conditions and the promotion of skills training. Sithebe says: "We want to stress the skills aspect. Firms in the communications sector have made vast profits, but have not provided adequate training. Now we are faced with a great skills shortage and part of the reason for that is that we in the unions have not been strong enough." If the regional communications unions have anything to do with it, this situation is about to change.

CWU set for Vodacom Strike

[ Johannesburg, 21 February 2007 ] - Vodacom will be served with a 48-hours strike notice this week, says the Communication Workers Union (CWU).The action was sparked by a dispute in which the union accused Vodacom of refusing to recognise it as a representative labour organisation within the company and denying it its organisational rights.

Vodacom has rubbished the CWU's claims, saying the union has insufficient representation in the company to be recognised as a representative body.Telkom, where the union claims to have 9 000 members, and other companies that are associated with Vodacom, will also receive the notice, in a bid to mobilise a sympathy strike, the union says.“The strike is set to go,” says CWU spokesman Mfanafuthi Sithebe.Sithebe says the organisation has galvanised support from its affiliates, including the Congress of South African Trade Unions, to stage sympathy protests across the country against “unfair treatment of workers in the telecommunications sector”.He adds all of its 1 200 members at Vodacom will down tools. However, he did not say how many workers countrywide are expected to be involved in the mass action. “We expect a major turnout,” he says.Vodacom has, in the past, stated that due to the limited number of CWU members inside the company, there would be little impact on its operations should a protest action take place.The strike comes after talks between Vodacom and the CWU, at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), deadlocked earlier this month.The CCMA has issued the union a strike certificate, allowing it to embark on protected industrial action.Related stories: Strike hovers over Vodacom CWU locks horns with telecoms sector Vodacom rejects union's claims Vodacom faces CCMA

Please check if membership on payslips - if not deducted contact Mfanafuthi

Comrades

Please check your pay slips and confirm membership deductions with Mrs. A Bhezu: membership@cwu.org.za or mfanafuthis@cwu.org.za - for the benefits of non members we have attached the membership form, brief notes and the memo to all CWU Provincial offices.

In the meantime we will include you in the COSATU mailing list. Should you encounter any problem or require more information, please do not hesitate to contact the office of the writer, Mfanafuthi

The details of the planned Industrial action will be communicated to you not later than Friday

Regards,


Mfanafuthi Sithebe
Head of Communications
Tel: +27(0)118388188
Fax: +27 (0)118385962/8727
Mobile: +27 (0)832089643
Mail: mfanafuthis@cwu.org.za

Illegal Lock out

Comrades

The union is disturbed by the illegal lock out of CWU members at Vodacom, Vodaworld. We have not yet sanctioned any action at Vodacom.

We kindly request our members not to allow the dark forces, intransigent and myopic management to confuse our planned mass action against Vodacom – our members must remain disciplined and wait for the President of the union to give clear instructions.
Regards,


Mfanafuthi Sithebe
Head of Communications
Tel: +27 (0)118388188
Fax: 27 (0)118385962/8727
Mobile: +27 0832089643
Mail: mfanafuthis@cwu.org.za

Strike hovers over Vodacom

Johannesburg, 12 February 2007 ] - Vodacom faces strike action after deadlocked talks with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).The CCMA has issued a certificate giving the union the right to embark on a protected industrial action.This follows a dispute in which the union accused Vodacom of refusing to recognise the body as a representative labour organisation within the company and denying it its organisational rights.

CWU spokesman Mfanafuthi Sithebe says the union is on a “vigorous recruitment campaign” at Vodacom's premises for its planned strike action.He adds details of the strike action will be made public once all stakeholders have been consulted.“We will explore a legal opinion and consult Cosatu, alliance partners and other unions in Africa – in order to implement phase two of the programme [mass strike action] against workers' abuse by mobile operators in SA and the entire Africa.”On Thursday, CWU staged a picket outside the CCMA offices, in which 20 members of an expected 2 000 participated. The union blamed this on poor communication on its behalf as well as sabotage by Vodacom.On Friday, the union alleged Vodacom had issued written warnings to staff members who arrived at work wearing union-branded T-shirts. Vodacom rubbished these claims as "unsubstantiated and untruthful". The union has since backed down.

VIVA CWU!!