News

Telecom unions from three continents will tomorrow (Tuesday, 24 July) highlight Vodafone’s anti-union record at the mobile phone giant’s annual shareholder meeting at the Queen Elizabeth Centre, Westminster, London.

Telecom unions led by UNI global union want to discuss with top executives efforts by Vodacom in South Africa - 50% owned by Vodafone - to prevent union recognition there.

Vodacom has used the courts - unsuccessfully - to stop the strike by 1200 members of the Communications Workers Union of South Africa and the company is now behind the arrests of several strike activists.

“We condemn Vodacom’s actions to resist union recognition and to victimise union members in a peaceful, lawful strike,” said UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings. “Workers in South Africa and around the world have a right to join unions and to bargain collectively as a result of decisions taken at the International Labour Organisation.”

UNI has called on Vodafone executives to meet them to discuss the South Africa dispute.



* UNI global union will be outside the Vodafone AGM, which starts at 11 am and union representatives will also be inside attending the meeting where they plan to raise questions on Vodafone’s labour record.



* Swiss-based UNI is the global union for skills and services with more than 900 unions worldwide. UNI Telecom represents three million telecom workers.