COSATU threatens strike after request for SAPO emergency funding rejected
The Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) request was dismissed on Workers' Day, paving the way for thousands of job cuts at the ailing postal service.
The South African Post Office. Picture: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp
JOHANNESBURG - Trade union federation COSATU is threatening to strike after the CCMA rejected emergency funding for the South African Post Office (SAPO).
The Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) request was dismissed on Workers' Day, paving the way for thousands of job cuts at the ailing postal service.
COSATU has criticised the rejection of this application, arguing that the post office will not survive after so many retrenchments.
More than 5,000 workers have been let go since the beginning of the year, with more job cuts expected as branches close down.
COSATU's Matthew Parks said the federation was working with the UIF to find other ways to deal with this.
"We hope that in the next few days, we can resolve it because we have very little time. These workers, their hopes have been devastated. We don't think it should be too long because we had already engaged on this approach and they were largely in support of it. It's just a matter of seeing if this can be reviewed by the advisory panel and how quickly."