Unions will hold\u00a0bi-lateral meetings with Telkom next week after yet another visit to the\u00a0Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) failed to elicit an\u00a0agreement between the organisations.<\/p>\n
Trade union,\u00a0Solidarity<\/a>, said that\u00a0CCMA talks continued into the night on Thursday (4 July), after Telkom’s most up to date\u00a0offer\u00a0amounted\u00a0to a total change in the remuneration model.<\/p>\n Negotiations between Telkom and unions, including the CWU and the SA communication union, began in March after Telkom announced that management and bargaining unit staff would be afforded the opportunity of applying for voluntary severance packages (VSPs) and early retirement packages (VERPs) until the end of August 2013.<\/p>\n Solidarity spokesperson\u00a0Marius Croucamp<\/a>, told BusinessTech late last month that the union was\u00a0prepared to accept Telkom\u2019s offer of a 6% increase over three years with minor changes to the original agreement of job security.<\/p>\n Solidarity had previously demanded an 8.8% increase.<\/p>\n However, he said that Telkom then withdrew its offer of\u00a06% and replaced it with a \u201cstaggered model\u201d based on functional areas.<\/p>\n At the CCMA on Thursday, the 20th day of negotiations, Solidarity said it rejected Telkoms latest offer, as did Sacu. A CWU spokesperson told Businesstech that he was still awaiting a report before deciding how to proceed.<\/p>\n Solidarity tweeted on Thursday:<\/p>\n “Telkom wage talks: Telkom stick to its offer and says that it is all the company can afford, “those who don’t like it can leave the company”.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Speaking at Telkom\u2019s recent (14 June) results presentation in Sandton,\u00a0Telkom CEO\u00a0Sipho Maseko<\/a>\u00a0told investors: \u201cI remain confident we will get to the right outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n Telkom noted that employee expenses increased by 14.5% in the year ended March 2013, primarily due to the R434 million cost relating to voluntary severance and early retirement packages, the average annual salary increase of 6.5% and a higher bonus provision.<\/p>\n It said said that 1,411 bargaining unit and 178 management employees exited up to 31 May 2013 as part of its bargaining process. The group has an approximate workforce of 21,000 people.<\/p>\n Solidarity said it would hold\u00a0bi-lateral meetings next week.<\/p>\n Telkom wage talks impossible: union<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Surprise move in Telkom dispute<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n CCMA calls for more Telkom talks<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Telkom workers set for strike action?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n CWU rejects improved Telkom wage offer<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Telkom wage dispute sent to CCMA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on Telkom wage talks<\/h3>\n