VIDEO: MTN employees down tools
FAIRLAND — MTN brought to a standstill as employees embark on strike.
Hundreds of MTN employees barricaded the road on 14th Avenue as they marked the first day of their strike.
The strikers – who vary from call-centre agents to technicians – have downed tools to demand a 10 per cent salary increase and 16 per cent bonus.
“Right now they are only offering 4 per cent increase and we want the temporary workers to be made permanent. We also have issues with the different shifts, when you work on Sundays or public holidays, you are supposed to be paid double but they don’t do that,” said two of the workers, Karabo Motloung and Tshegofatso Mokoena.
With hundreds of workers striking and more still expected to show up, JMPD officers were out on the scene in Fairlands, where traffic has been obstructed because of the large crowd.
Another worker, Tsholofelo* who has been working at MTN since 2007, said the 4 per cent that the telecommunications giant is offering is unacceptable “We plan to strike until they meet our demands.”
Spokesperson for JMPD, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said officers are at the entrance of the MTN offices to monitor the protest.
