The labour court has issued an order interdicting and restraining strike employees from coming within a 100m radius of any of MTN’s premises for the duration of industrial action currently underway, the mobile operator said in a statement on Friday evening.
The weeks-long strike has been marred by incidents of violence and intimidation since it commenced last month, MTN said.
“In a bid to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of its employees and to protect its facilities and infrastructure, MTN sought and was successful in obtaining an interdict barring striking employees from disrupting the company’s normal operations and intimidating employees that wanted to return to and have already returned to work,” it said in the statement.
MTN South Africa chief HR officer Themba Nyathi said: “MTN welcomes the court ruling as it gives credence to our conviction that violence and damage to property are not legitimate avenues of expressing dissatisfaction on labour matters.”
He said MTN hopes that the Communications Workers Union (CWU) will abide by the court ruling — the second MTN has been granted — and ensure that its members comply with it.
He said an independent arbitrator should be appointed to adjudicate on this dispute.
“A legally binding arbitration process is the only way that MTN and the CWU can end the current industrial action,” Nyathi said.
“The arbitration process will ensure that an independent party who does not have a vested interest in this matter can adjudicate on this matter in a fair and impartial manner.”
He said union should “stop being populist” and consider acceding to a formal arbitration process. — © 2015 NewsCentral Media