Cape Town - All striking postal workers would be fired if they did not return to work today, provincial post office spokeswoman Martie Gilchrist warned yesterday.
“We have a court order and it is within our legal rights to demand that workers come back to work,” Gilchrist said.
By last week, 600 workers nationwide were absent from work, she said.
The strike, in its fourth month, has closed offices around the country intermittently.
About 7 900 casual workers have been engaged in a tussle with management over their demands to be given permanent employment.
“We urge all the remaining employees to return to work immediately so as to proceed with the task of rebuilding the SA Post Office,” said Simo Lushaba, head of an intervention team appointed by Telecommunications and Postal Minister Siyabonga Cwele and Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene.
“Failure to heed this call will result in the implementation of the HR dismissal procedures with effect from Monday, November 24.”
Gilchrist said the strike had taken a positive turn after a wage agreement was reached with two of three recognised unions.
The agreement will be effective from December 1.
“The SA Postal and Allied Workers Union (Sapawu) and the Democratic Postal and Communications Union (Depacu)… have agreed to an increase of 6.5 percent,” Lushaba said.
Sapawu and Depacu represented 61 percent of employees at bargaining level.
Part of the agreement involved converting part-time and casual employees to full-time employees from December 1, with full benefits including medical aid becoming effective on April 1, 2015.
The full conversion would be completed within 24 months.
“The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents 39 percent of the employees, has stuck to the demand of a 7.5 percent increase,” said Lushaba.
“They have rejected all the conditions which are inextricably linked to the financial position in which the Post Office finds itself.”
The CWU welcomed the government’s intervention, however said it was “taken aback by the insensitive onslaught on workers by the course of this intervention”.
“The agreement reached between the government, Sapo management and their allies in the form of sweetheart unions simply means that there will be no salary increase for workers, there will be no conversion of workers to permanent position,” it said.
“There is no political will to rescue the Post Office because it is the institution that in the main services the poor sectors of our society.
CWU calls on government to engage the organised formations of workers in the Post Office, in particular the majority union CWU.”
Last week, four offices in the city were closed because they could no longer afford the rent, Gilchrist said.
The Westridge office was the only one that remained closed. - Cape Times