The South African Post Office (Sapo) could soon be embarking on yet another strike.
The Communication Workers Union has secured a certificate to strike and is now in the process of consulting with members. A final decision about whether or not to strike will be taken next week.
The union has recently expressed its disappointment in what it calls the “continuing total lack of leadership and sound governance practices at the South African Post Office (Sapo)”.
It states: “The newly-appointed ‘caretaker’ Simo Lushaba, who took over to oversee the executive management activities of the executive board following its sacking late last year for its failure to perform its fiduciary duties, has displayed serious inability and a lack of foresight in turning around the situation at this important public entity which is so critical to the delivery of postal and communications services to our people and so central to the developmental trajectory of our country.”
Lushaba was appointed after Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Siyabongo Cwele appointed a leadership forum following the ending of last year’s strike.
“One of the objectives of the leadership forum was to establish issues that led to the organisation (SAPO) to a state of total collapse,” according to the CWU. “What was presented by labour at this forum, is that sporadically unprotected industrial actions and labour unrest had taken hold of this critical public entity since 2009.”
Labour made a number of submissions to the forum, including:
* The board was dysfunctional;
* The company lacked leadership;
* Agreements signed with unofficial, unregistered, unrecognised and unlawful formations some masquerading as trade unions;
* Agreements that were signed outside relevant agreed to structures;
* Corruption was central in all the problems; and
* The proper verification of union membership was outstanding.
“All stakeholders, including the executive management, the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services and the unions, agreed that we all have to revive and reaffirm all forums that were established previously in terms of the law. We all agreed that talks/engagements are important to eliminate disputes and to drive the business forward.
“Even more disturbing is the fact that his turn-around strategy does not involve organized labour, leaving us to conclude that the man is running the organisation with sheer arrogance as if it was his spaza shop,” the CWU states.
“As a union, we found these to be the core principles that will protect the business, customers and most importantly the workers who are productive force and the backbone of the company.”
Apart from dissatisfaction with Lushaba, CWU takes issue with a unilateral decision by SAPO to close some post offices in parts of the country without consultation with organised labour or the affected communities.
“This is sheer violation of the ICASA regulations will consequentially lead to a serious compromise on the mandate to deliver services as outlined in the Act,” the union states.
The CWU says it maintains its demands for a revised proposal of a back pay of 8%, reinstatement of the 588 workers into their original positions and salaries and lastly, the conversion of casual workers into permanent positions within 18 months.