Post office has dismissed 223 employees

Influential Information and Communications Union of South Africa (IICUOSA) is still at loggerheads with the South African Post Office (Sapo) regarding the issue of dismissed workers.

A case has been filed with the labour court by the union on behalf of the dismissed workers.

IICUOSA secretary general, Gibson Ramoadi said Sapo had a trend of dismissing its employees with 588 employees being dismissed in 2013, 105 employees being fired in 2014 and this year 223 employees were dismissed.

“If you complain as an employee you get to be shown the road. The campaign, Bring Back Unfairly Dismissed Workers continues as IICUOSA will be marching to the office of Telecomunications and Postal Service Department Minister, Siyabonga Gcwele,” said Ramoadi.

He added that the union had requested the intervention of the ministry. “It seems as our plea has fallen on deaf ears or rather the department does not care what happens in the State-owned entity.”

In July this year, dismissed employees of Sapo were stopped by police from marching in Braamfontein to demand answers about the dismissals. Police had produced a court interdict stating that the march was illegal, but Ramoadi dismissed this and said the protesters were given permission to proceed with the march by Metro police.

“Currently these employees were moved from working eight hours a day to four hours, their situation is deteriorating every time management gets an opportunity to exploit them further,” he added.

According to Ramoadi, Sapo had dismissed employees for raising their grievances with the current CEO of Sapo, Mark Barnes.

Anthea Seafield of Sapo said, “The South African Post Office has dismissed the 223 employees who participated in an unprotected strike.

“Following the CCMA processes having been exhausted on the matter without any agreement, the dismissed employees and their representative union [IICUOSA] have lodged a case with the labour court. The SA Post Office will oppose the application.”