MTN has shutdown its call centre on Sunday as the strike over pay and bonuses at the company continued.
“Dear customers, please note that our services have been disrupted and the call centre has been closed. Please use our self help options. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” a recorded message on MTN South Africa said.
Last week, the company also closed its e-billing portal after security flaws were exposed.
Communication Workers Union Deputy General Secretary Thabo Mogalane told News24 the union had reached an agreement with MTN over many of the disputed issues already, and it was just the approximately 3 000 staffers’ bonuses and salary increase that was outstanding.
Mogalane said so far the issues resolved included an agreement to convert casual staffers into permanent staff employed by MTN; double pay for working on a Sunday or a public holiday; and that the dispute over whether they had enough union members at MTN to be recognised, would be dealt with in an audit process starting on Tuesday.
On the issue of the bonus, CWU had dropped its demand from 16% to 12%, and on salary increases, from 10% to eight percent.
MTN’s position on the bonus was that four percent had been given to workers already, and another four percent be given in December 2015. Its position on the increase was that it be determined by performance in the company and that the company was open to negotiate or move away from performance-based increases.
“The strike therefore continues on May the 25th until an agreement with the company is reached,” said a notice by Mogalane on the union’s Facebook page.
