The Information Communications and Technology Union (ICTU), which is representing Cell C workers says on Monday it will hand a memorandum detailing disputes it has with the cellphone company to Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni–Abrahams.
The ICTU’s move to hand the memorandum to the minister coincides with a strike by Cell C workers planned for Monday.
In a tongue in cheek notice, the ICTU said: “On Monday 12 October 2020, we will be inviting ourselves to the offices of the ill-disciplined minister of communication .”
Ndabeni-Abrahams, whose pay was recently docked for breaching anti-coronavirus rules, did not respond to a letter sent by the union regarding retrenchments at Cell C.
“The minister is disrespectful by not responding to our letter from the federation (the South African Federation of Trade Unions – Saftu). She must intervene to stop unemployment in the republic, especially in the ICT sector,” said ICTU.
ICTU is an affiliate of Saftu, which is led by union firebrand Zwelinzima Vavi and represents about 800,000 workers through its 21 affiliated trade unions. The union is the sole worker representative at Cell C.
ICTU said its memorandum to the minister details “corporate corruption and shenanigans” surrounding the Cell C retrenchment of Africans.
The ICTU earlier announced that its members would down tools on Monday because Cell C insists the retrenchment process involving thousands of workers will not be reversed.
On Friday, the union said: “ICTU hereby notifies Cell C that its members will be embarking on industrial action from 12 October 2020 at 08:00 at all Cell C buildings and shops in protest against the retrenchments of more than 1,600 employees you are intending to undertake”.
The strike announcement came after Saftu and African Democratic Change party unsuccessfully intervened in the matter.
“There will be no Cell C without us,” warned the ICTU.
