Lungile Lose, spokesman for the SA Post Office, says talks to solve the strike are currently at a particularly sensitive stage and the SA Post Office is unable to disclose details at this stage.
Between 800 and 1 400 post office employees were unhappy about their salaries.
The reason for the strike is to appoint casual workers in permanent positions, which the post office is implementing using a staggered approach.
This is in view of the difficult financial position the company is in.
He says they have made good progress at certain mail-sorting facilities where workers have started to return to work.
Lose says some of the unions are cooperating with them to restore operations to normal, and they are currently on a feedback and information road show in areas affected by the strike. They hope all the labour unions in the post office will join in these efforts as soon as possible.
“The purpose is to eliminate rumours and give first-hand feedback to employees,” he says.
Agreement has not been reached yet, so the demands of the unions have not changed.
They still demand a 15% pay increase, casual staff to be employed permanently and that the management of the SA Post Office resign.
Lose says the most affected province is Gauteng. The situation is improving in Gauteng but has intensified in other provinces.
Several post offices were damaged by strikers and had to be closed until repairs are done, but none of the Springs post offices were included in the vandalism attacks.
SA Post Office officials are optimistic that the strike may end this week.
