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Cape Town – A nine-month strike by SA Post Office (Sapo) staff has taken its toll on many users of the service, after the organisation decided to change the working conditions of its casual workers into full-time employees.
Many Fin24 users have written in to express their anger and frustration about the situation, which they said has not been communicated effectively. After many attempts at getting comment from Sapo, Fin24 can now share more information on the situation.
Chief operating officer Mlu Mathonsi told Fin24 that Sapo management was engaging in fruitful discussions with leaders from three worker unions in a bid to bring the “persistent and disruptive industrial action by employees to a swift end”.
Employees have been participating in various unprotected strikes since January, which have caused interruptions in Sapo’s sorting and distribution processes resulting in delays in postal and parcel deliveries.
“We are aware of the frustration that this is causing our customers and empathise with those small businesses and ordinary members of the public who rely on our postal services for settling accounts,” said Mathonsi.
Fin24 user frustration
Fin24 user Gillian Vermaak said a lack of communication from Sapo was both frustrating and financially draining.
“We were not advised of the strike by the staff,” she wrote. “So much time and trouble has gone into creating the craft items and now it seems in vain.
“Surely the staff should have informed us before accepting the parcel that there would be a delay. We could have arranged an alternative method of delivery.”
Fin24 user Claire said the majority of the frustration comes from a lack of information. There are “no notices in the branches or staff informing you of the strike”.
“Accepting Speed Services parcels is tantamount to theft as they know they cannot deliver.
“When I asked the staff at a local branch near me why, they informed me that they are not allowed to tell the public or display notices informing us of any strike action,” she wrote. “It is against Sapo’s policy. This is a totally ridiculous way for any business – private or governmental – to run.”
Fin24 user Darren Korte said the strike is not only affecting businesses, but families too.
“My wife has to apply for a renewal of her relative’s visa to be able to remain in South Africa with me and our two young boys,” he wrote. “Every time we go and check on the status of the certificate, we are told we must just wait... the strike is causing the delay.”
Fin24 user Tasneem Bamath said she is losing out on so many clients and sales. “I have a business to run and stock to receive via the post, but it just can't seem to get here because of this.
“I can understand that Sapo is doing whatever they can, but workers who feel the need to violently strike whenever their companies cannot commit to their demands is not on,” she wrote. “I think there is an amicable and matured way in which a professional can voice their concerns.”
Fin24 user Piet Jonas said the strike is delaying the sending of an urgently-required birth certificate of SA-born children needed by expat parents who want to come to SA on holiday. “This is a looming crisis for people who have already paid for flights, but who will be unable to come due to new immigration regulations regarding children - if they cannot show birth certificates.”
Sapo explains
“We apologise profusely for the inconvenience the strikes are causing and are consulting with the unions to resolve disputes in order to return postal services to normal as soon as possible,” said Mathonsi.
Central to the strikes has been the implementation of Sapo’s flexible labour strategy, which was approved in 2013 to convert 7 945 casual workers into permanent employees. The strategy adopted a phased approach where casual workers were offered permanent but part-time positions as an alternative to being contracted to the company via labour brokers.
“The aim of the flexible labour strategy has always been to advance the part-time employees to more permanent positions with full benefits,” said Mathonsi. However, a staggered approach had to be adopted given the difficult financial position the company is in.
“Disputes with unions are around agreements made at the time that casual workers would be employed in entry level positions with limited benefits. Advancement to full-time positions with full benefits would only be made available if and when Sapo was in a financial position to do so.
“This was the only way Sapo could permanently employ the large number of casual workers,” said Mathonsi.
Since the process started in 2013, more than 2 000 causal employees have been given permanent contracts, explained Mathonsi. “Sapo has recently concluded 600 more permanent contracts while 900 additional casual workers are also been issued with permanent contracts.
“Our aim is to have all 4 928 casual workers contracted as permanent part-time employees by 1 December 2014.”
Sapo has put contingency plans in place to mitigate service disruptions and will keep customers updated on any new developments that may affect them.
