Thursday, 08 March 2007

STRIKE BULLETIN FOR MARCH 8, 2007

1. STRIKE NOTICE ISSUED / STRIKE PROGRAM

2. DON’T ALLOW VODACOM TO CONFUSE YOU

3. VODACOM MAKES THE FIRST CONCESSIONS TO THE WORKERS


SHOW UNITY TOMMORROW! WEAR RED AND YELLOW RIBBONS

CWU VODACOM GAUTENG PROVINCE MEETING TONIGHT

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STRIKE? ASK THEM HERE.


1. STRIKE NOTICE ISSUED / STRIKE PROGRAM FOR VODACOM

The General Secretary, on behalf of the Communication Workers Union, has issued Vodacom with a 48 hour notice of strike on March 7, 2007.

The strike program is as follows:

Monday, March 12 and Tuesday March 13, 2007

CWU members will picket at Vodacom facilities throughout the countries during lunch hour.

Our families, friends and allied organizations will be embarking on a warning “consumer strike” in support by switching off their Vodacom cell phones between 13h00 and 13h10.

Wednesday, March 14, 2006

CWU members will be marching to Vodaworld in Midrand in the hours of the morning. Gauteng members should not report for work, but go directly to CWU offices on 29 Rissik St in Johannesburg. If this is not possible, members can gather at the Shell station on New Road near Vodaworld from 10 pm.

Our families, friends and allied organizations will be embarking on a “consumer strike” in support by calling any Vodacom number as often as possible and dropping the call after the first ring (before the person picks up). This will have a cost impact for Vodacom but none for the caller.

Thursday, March 15th to Tuesday 20th March 2007

Members will embark on a work to rule within their stations, to give an opportunity to Vodacom to come to the table. Read about work to rules here.

We will be consulting and discussing the wave of actions stage if Vodacom still refuses to negotiate.

Read the media statement regarding the strike issued by CWU here

2. DON’T ALLOW VODACOM TO CONFUSE YOU

Faced with the power of workers, companies facing strikes attempt to confuse workers. This is typical and should be a surprise to no one. In the following days, Vodacom may be showing letters, holding meetings and telling workers that the upcoming industrial action is illegal, not protected, and other lies. Do not be impressed by these desperate and panicked measures.

Vodacom is not the Government. The only institutions that can make rulings on strikes are the Labour Court and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The CCMA has already given CWU a certificate to embark on strike. (Click here to see the strike certificate).

3. VODACOM MAKES THE FIRST CONCESSIONS TO THE WORKERS

After receiving the strike notice from CWU, Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig has issued a General Notice to Vodacom Workers. In the notice, he offers a wage increase, more maternity leave and participation in the BEE Equity Transactions.

Perhaps Vodacom believes that we are dogs, that we are barking and that throwing us a morsel off their table will quiet us down. This kind of insult should only strengthen our resolve.

Perhaps the privileges enjoyed by the Executives of Vodacom make them think they know what is best for us as workers. We are not inferior human beings. We, and only we, know what we need as workers. This is why we are demanding to negotiate working conditions through our union and not concessions according to management’s whim.

Forward Comrades! If they will offer this to try to prevent our strike, how much more can we win by not bowing down?

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