‘All part of improved
service delivery mission’
ALAN PEAT
SPOORNET APPEARS to be handling with kid gloves strike threats over possible retrenchment of about 950 staff.
Some of the affected employees are even sitting at home on full pay, FTW was told, waiting for a monthly call to see if alternative posts are available, and suit them.
It’s all part of what Spoornet describes as “a determined effort” to improve service delivery - a process which has led to the successful introduction of various efficiency projects.
“Many of these initiatives involved a simplification of business processes or the introduction of new technology,” said spokesman, Molatwane Likhethe.
“Some of these projects have had an impact on positions and jobs within the organisation. In some instances it required that the job outputs of employees be reviewed, and in other instances, that positions be relocated, decreased in number or even abolished.”
Following these decisions, employees were considered for deployment into revised structures.
Where they could not be accommodated, they were declared “affected” - and the pool of these affected staff now comprises approximately 946 employees, FTW was told.
“To mitigate job losses,” said Likhethe, “various measures were implemented for their redeployment.
“These included a monthly re-matching committee where the list of affected staff is compared with the current vacancies.”
Suitable staff were considered for training for these positions, and relocation benefits were also substantially increased.
Some were offered “voluntary severance packages”, added Likhethe.
“In spite of all these measures the number of affected staff has grown,” he said. “Issues such as current location, age and skills profile are the main contributors to this situation.
“Spoornet management has consequently embarked on a consultation process with labour on the possible termination of services of the affected persons.”
This process should be completed within the next two months, he added, and should retrenchments be unavoidable, notice will be served on the remaining affected staff.
These staff members will qualify for a severance package and associated benefits under the Transnet social plan - and also be registered with the social plan unit, who will provide them with assistance in possible re-skilling, career guidance and financial counselling.
According to Spoornet’s acting GM for human capital, Vusi Mncube, the retrenchments are “regrettable, but in line with the recommendations made by the task team of members of government, Spoornet management and unions who set out the final model for Spoornet restructuring in 2002.”
