TELKOM has offered voluntary severance and voluntary early retirement packages to Communication Workers Union (CWU) members after talks between the company and union reached a deadlock two weeks ago. Telkom said in a statement yesterday that the offer was twofold. First, the company offered all unions the opportunity to access voluntary severance packages and voluntary early retirement packages for their affected members. Second, it offered to extend the transfer date for exiting Telkom employees from March 31 to April 30. Only the SA Communications Union and Solidarity accepted the offer, while the CWU declined. As the CWU had withheld the union’s majority consensus, the offer was withdrawn from all the unions. Telkom has now decided to approach its affected employees directly and not via the union. Shares dropped 1 percent to close at R79.20 on the JSE yesterday. – Nompumelelo Magwaza