SA Post Office to retrench thousands of workers

The South African Post Office (SAPO) is planning to retrench a bulk of its workers after issuing a Section 189 notice.

Workers say they have learnt with shock the employer’s planned move which will affect 6 000 workers.

This forms part of a turnaround strategy that will include the cutting of staff salaries by as much as 40%.

SAPO says this is in a bid to cut employment costs and ensure the profitability of the entity after it incurred a R 2. 3 billion loss in the past financial year.

The Communications Workers Union’s General-Secretary Aubrey Tshabalala says they will challenge the planned retrenchments.

Tshabalala says, “This happens at a time when we are in discussions around the 40% salary cut or hours of work. So what does it paint to us, it paints a very indecisive management that a week back you were thinking of cutting salaries, a week later you are now thinking of dismissing almost everyone in the bargain area  – meaning that those who are basically doing the actual work in the post office – almost all of them are facing a dismissal.”

VIDEO: SAFTU weighs in on looming SAPO retrenchments: 

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