Workers at the MTN Innovation Centre embarked on an industrial strike yesterday morning demanding a wage increment or 13th cheque.
This comes after the workers received letters Tuesday announcing they will get a 4% increment while those who did not meet their bonus targets will not receive a 13th cheque.
The bonuses are due this month and the wage increment will be in April.
“Staff members are aware they did not meet bonus targets, but because the economy is down, they asked if we could not try to increase the increment to something more than 4% or at least give them a 13th cheque. The trigger for the strike was when they received letters,”said Chief Human Resources Officer Themba Nyathi.
Nyathi said the internal stakeholders will sit down and discuss the proposals they have received from those who embarked on the strike and come up with ways to resolve the grievances swiftly.
“We have a meeting on Monday afternoon with all those involved and I hope this incident will be resolved and I would like to add there were no disruptions with call centres, everything was working optimally,”said Nyathi.
Nyathi also gave assurances there will be no disciplinary action against the workers who downed tools illegally.
“There will be no disciplinary action against them because we want to understand what the issues are. Want to give staff members a voice then find a way forward. There are labour laws and both parties have to obey those laws. They were informed that it was counterproductive to embark on an illegal strike,” he said.
Although unions were not represented at the illegal strike, some members of the Communications Workers Union were present.
Nyathi added that MTN Group CEO Sifiso Dabengwa was currently in London but is being informed about the progress of the strike action.
