Telkom has rubbished claims by a trade union that a jobs bloodbath is looming at the telecommunications operator.
The South African Communications Union (Sacu) claimed on Monday that the company intends slashing its workforce in half — firing 9 500 of its 19 000 employees — within the next six months, with most cuts to come from its field services division.
“With the imminent buyout of Business Connexion, which will be incorporated into Telkom Business, it is believed that the decision has been taken,” the labour union state in a statement.
Sacu said both it and another trade union, the Communication Workers Union, had been notified that facilities management specialist TFMC, a supplier of outsourced services to Telkom, is considering rationalisation and restructuring because of budget cuts imposed on it by the operator. “This may lead to the operational dismissal of some employees, an estimated 1 500,” Sacu said.
“Thus far, Telkom’s ‘turnaround’ has resulted in not only firing Telkom employees but those of its suppliers. When will all it end? [This is] a state-owned company that seemingly now [has] the monopoly on adding to the already stressed unemployment rate of South Africa.”
But Telkom has rubbished Sacu’s claims. “Telkom dismisses the speculation that it intends to retrench 9 500 employees,” it said in written reply to a query from TechCentral.
“The company is not targeting specific numbers of individuals. The aim is reduce the number of management layers and achieve an employee cost to revenue ratio of 25% over the next five years.” — © 2014 NewsCentral Media