Trade union Solidarity has declared a dispute with Telkom over salaries, the union said on Friday. <\/p>\n
Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans said the dispute was about the implementation of an amended wage agreement as agreed upon in August. <\/p>\n
He said there was a discrepancy over the payment of wage increases. <\/p>\n
According to the agreement, employees were meant to receive an 11% increase retroactive from April this year, with an additional 0.5% in October. <\/p>\n
Kleynhans said Telkom was interpreting the agreement in a way that numerous employees were excluded from or only received a fraction of the agreed upon increase, due to amendments to their salary scale. <\/p>\n
"Solidarity maintains that the increase applies to all employees in the bargaining unit." <\/p>\n
Kleynhans said Solidarity also had a labour court dispute with Telkom, which Telkom had indicated it was willing to settle. <\/p>\n
That dispute related to the calculation of Telkom’s medical aid contribution as determined in the original wage agreement signed in 2006. <\/p>\n
"Wage negotiations for the next three-year wage agreement should open in December, but meanwhile these burning issues drag on." <\/p>\n
Kleynhans said Telkom had a "negative attitude" towards the issues raised. <\/p>\n
He said if the internal dispute could not be raised, Solidarity might refer the case to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. <\/p>\n
Comment from Telkom was not immediately available.<\/p>\n