The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] supports its sister union the Communication Workers’ Union [CWU] in their fight against retrenchments at the South African Post Office [SAPO].  

This comes against the background of SAPO giving CWU a notice in terms of Section 189 and 189 (A), which means it intends to dismiss 6000 workers. The notice comes a week later after the company called a meeting with unions to discuss the 40% salary cuts or hours of work reduction. This latest attempt by SAPO to retrench workers will results in breadwinners losing their source of income. 

As NEHAWU, we are vehemently opposed to the looming retrenchments at SAPO as this will collapse the Post Office. The planned retrenchments form part of the broader onslaught on workers and this is evident with the disdain that SAPO has treated workers at the post office. In November 2022, workers at SAPO had to embark on an industrial action after not having received any salary increment for more than two [2] years and still owned monies [back-pay] by the employer from the previous financial years. The employer had not been contributing to the medical aid scheme and the provident fund. 

NEHAWU supports the fight against retrenchments by CWU. We deplore any plans by SAPO to retrench workers which would result in a job bloodbath. The country is in the midst of crisis levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality and yet the post office plans on mass retrenchments which would lead to jobs bloodbath. 

NEHAWU calls on all its members, workers and society at large to join hands in supporting the fight by CWU against the looming retrenchments at SAPO. 

Lastly, we call the management of SAPO to consider different options of saving jobs instead of retrenchments.

END

Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat

Zola Saphetha (General Secretary) at 082 558 5968; December Mavuso (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5969; Lwazi Nkolonzi (NEHAWU National Spokesperson) at 081 558 2335 or email: lwazin@nehawu.org.za