Telkom's planned severance packages are discriminatory - Solidarity

Solidarity could obtain Labour Court interdict against Telkom

If Telkom continues to use race and gender as criteria for awarding voluntary severance packages, Solidarity will obtain an interdict against the company from the Labour Court, the trade union Solidarity said today. This comes after Telkom indicated that it intends to offer severance packages to employees soon and that affirmative action will be a major consideration in awarding the packages.

In 2009 an agreement was reached between various trade unions and Telkom in terms of which employees' job security was guaranteed up to and including 2011. However, employees are now being pressured into taking severance packages. Apart from this, Telkom indicated to trade unions in a statement that race and gender will be the main considerations in awarding the severance packages.

"Telkom is consciously encouraging white employees to leave the company, while black employees are excluded from the severance packages, which is sheer discrimination to both sides," Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans said. "Telkom continues to appoint new people, while other employees are pressured into leaving the company," Kleynhans added.

Telkom is also in the process of contracting out various divisions to service providers, which threatens employees' job security.

The voluntary packages will be offered from 30 August to 17 September 2010. Solidarity has appealed to Telkom in a letter to not go ahead with the process of voluntary layoffs.

Statement issued by Jaco Kleynhans, spokesperson Solidarity, August 17 2010

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