Following reports that a labour dispute involving contract workers in Telkom\u2019s call centre was looming, the company has told 480 contract call centre staff whose contracts were not renewed not to come back to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe company has decided that, in the interest of all parties concerned, your continued services will no longer be required after the completion of your shift today,\u201d Telkom said in a letter to contractors on Friday, 12 December 2014.<\/p>\n
Workers would be paid out the remainder of their contracts, whether they end in December 2014, January 2015, or March 2015, Telkom said.<\/p>\n
Some staff who were handed letters told MyBroadband that they were forcefully removed from the Telkom premises at 12:30 on Friday.<\/p>\n
However, Telkom disputes this version of events.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecurity was on hand to collect security access cards and to ensure the safety and security of all our people and our property,\u201d said Telkom\u2019s Jacqui O\u2019Sullivan.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople were treated with dignity and respect,\u201d O\u2019Sullivan added. \u201cAny claims to the contrary are simply untrue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Questioned as to\u00a0why Telkom decided to ask the workers not to come back, O\u2019Sullivan said they had received several threats of vandalism and disruption since telling the temporary call centre staff in November that their contracts would not be renewed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast week an incident of theft and vandalism to Telkom property was experienced which is believed to be linked to this process,\u201d O\u2019Sullivan said.<\/p>\n
Further questioned on how the call centre functions these staff performed were fulfilled from 12:30 on Friday, O\u2019Sullivan said that Telkom was comfortable that it had sufficient capacity \u201cwithin existing structures\u201d to manage queries and call volumes.<\/p>\n
Queried on whether it expected union backlash, and how it would handle any backlash, O\u2019Sullivan said that the process had been undertaken in a fair and legal manner, with all due consultation including that with organised labour.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdditionally, organised labour is aware of Telkom\u2019s turnaround efforts and the requirement for such a prudent and necessary business decision, at this time,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cTelkom meets regularly with organised labour to discuss company matters \u2014 any disputes will be managed at these forums,\u201d O\u2019Sullivan said.<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on MyBroadband<\/a><\/p>\n Customer is priority number one, two and three: Telkom CEO<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Cell C and Telkom mobile won\u2019t survive: analyst<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on Telkom<\/h3>\n