Postal workers set to talk

UNIONS representing striking Post Office workers are set to meet at the office of Siyabonga Cwele, the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, later today.

Thousands of workers affiliated to the SA Postal Workers Union (Sapwu), Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Democratic Postal and Communications Union (Depacu) went on strike last week demanding a backdated salary increase of 8%.

After reaching a deadlock on Monday, the unions marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday to show the workers’ unhappiness, said David Mangena, Sapwu’s general secretary.

“The agreement was that the three unions would meet with the board, executive management of the Post Office and department officials,” he said.

“We want a salary increase of 8% backdated to April 1, and also the conversion of the permanent part-timers to be full-time. And 42 work hours per week, as opposed to the current 21.5 hours,” Mangena said.

South African Post Office (Sapo) spokesperson Johan Kruger said the last time workers were given an increase was in 2016, and it was 6.5% across the board.

Kruger said the 60% of affected Sapo branches were in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.