CONFUSION still prevails over how many people will end up losing their jobs through the restructuring process at banking group Absa.
Yesterday Solidarity union deputy general secretary Dirk Herman said they were unhappy with the way Absa had handled its restructuring process.
"We believe the current restructuring process at Absa and its outcomes of retrenchment is not necessary. Absa is in a very sound financial position," Herman said.
"We are quite disturbed about the way Absa dealt with this specific retrenchment."
Solidarity started a website, called www.stopabsa.co.za, and use the hashtag stopabsa# on Twitter for people to air their messages against the loss of jobs and treatment of Absa workers. More 300,000 people have used the hashtag already.
"While Absa denied in radio interviews that it was retrenching, just yesterday (Wednesday) 300 restructuring letters were given to workers in the commercial banking department and 200 were handed to other workers in branches," he said. "Tomorrow (today), workers will be retrenched."
In response to Sowetan's enquiries the bank said: "During our specific streamlining and restructuring activities last year, as per our One Absa journey, in total 234 employees were placed on reassignment, of which 89 were placed elsewhere in the business.
"When colleagues are placed on reassignment from departments in which they work with sensitive, confidential or competitive information, important procedures need to be followed. Generally the colleagues leave the department on the same day, are required to clear their workspace, handover all Absa computers, cellphones, access cards and are generally assisted to leave their workplace."
In the early hours of the morning yesterday Absa sent out a statement dismissing claims of massive retrenchments and saying: "Absa has and will continue to evolve its systems and processes which sometimes lead to very limited job losses.
"Where possible, we will do this through natural attrition as evidenced by the reduction of 3,580 roles last year with retrenchments limited to 145. There is no plan to retrench 3,000 colleagues as widely reported."
Solidarity union campaigns to stop Absa retrenchments
CONFUSION still prevails over how many people will end up losing their jobs through the restructuring process at banking group Absa.
Yesterday Solidarity union deputy general secretary Dirk Herman said they were unhappy with the way Absa had handled its restructuring process.
"We believe the current restructuring process at Absa and its outcomes of retrenchment is not necessary. Absa is in a very sound financial position," Herman said.
"We are quite disturbed about the way Absa dealt with this specific retrenchment."
Solidarity started a website, called www.stopabsa.co.za, and use the hashtag stopabsa# on Twitter for people to air their messages against the loss of jobs and treatment of Absa workers. More 300,000 people have used the hashtag already.
"While Absa denied in radio interviews that it was retrenching, just yesterday (Wednesday) 300 restructuring letters were given to workers in the commercial banking department and 200 were handed to other workers in branches," he said. "Tomorrow (today), workers will be retrenched."
In response to Sowetan's enquiries the bank said: "During our specific streamlining and restructuring activities last year, as per our One Absa journey, in total 234 employees were placed on reassignment, of which 89 were placed elsewhere in the business.
"When colleagues are placed on reassignment from departments in which they work with sensitive, confidential or competitive information, important procedures need to be followed. Generally the colleagues leave the department on the same day, are required to clear their workspace, handover all Absa computers, cellphones, access cards and are generally assisted to leave their workplace."
In the early hours of the morning yesterday Absa sent out a statement dismissing claims of massive retrenchments and saying: "Absa has and will continue to evolve its systems and processes which sometimes lead to very limited job losses.
"Where possible, we will do this through natural attrition as evidenced by the reduction of 3,580 roles last year with retrenchments limited to 145. There is no plan to retrench 3,000 colleagues as widely reported."
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