File picture: Henk Kruger File picture: Henk Kruger
Johannesburg - Members affiliated to the Influential Information and Communication Union SA (IICUOSA)are hopeful the Minister of Telecommunications Siyabonga Gcwele will intervene after 288 workers were dismissed from the SA Post Office.
Just over 50 members have gathered outside the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services in Pretoria, with more expected to still arrive.
The union’s general secretary, Gibson Ramoadi said workers are fed up and will not back down until Gcwele “does something”.
“The union is demanding for the return about 228 employees who were dismissed in 2016. This is not the first time we have requested the intervention of the ministry but it seems our plea has fallen on deaf ears. The department does not care what happens in the state owned entity.”
The union made it clear that this will not be the only door it will be knocking on.
“We are going to knock on until workers issues are resolved in SAPO.”
Meanwhile protester and dismissed worker Zodwa Nkwanyana had been working for the Post office for 14 years and was dismissed in June.
“We all went on a strike in June for 3 days. When we got back we all got a letter saying we are being dismissed with immediate effect. No warning, no nothing. We strongly believe this is a hit on our union.”
Nkwanyana who is a mother of three told Independent Media she is hopeful the Minister will realise the impact of the dismissal of workers. “ This has impacted not just the workers, but our families and the company even.”
@heidigiokos
Labour Bureau