CWU tackles the SABC 25-04-08

 

Communications Workers Union

MEDIA RELEASE

24 Apr. 2008

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS AND LABOUR EDITORS

CWU TACKLES THE SABC

Communication Workers Union at the SABC reiterates the position taken by COSATU with regards to the appointment of the SABC Board because this board does not represent all stakeholders, in particular Labour. As a result of the squabbles between the board and the GCEO the annual salary negotiations and other matters of interest to workers have been suspended indefinitely, and we believe that management take advantage of this situation thus the CWU demand labour representation within the SABC Board. The results of the squabbles between the two parties have impacted negatively inter alia on the SABC workers by creating a mood of uncertainty about the future of the corporation".

CWU condemns in the strongest terms the continual in-fighting for the control of the SABC as reported in the past weeks by media. CWU is calling for an emergency meeting with the GCEO and his executive management to get full report on the whole saga and the reasons why negotiations have been suspended indefinitely.

The SABC employees should have received their annual wage increment on the 1st April this year, together with the outstanding substantive issues emanating from the previous salary negotiations. Therefore CWU demands that the wage and substantive negotiations should be resumed with immediate effect.

CWU is disturbed by the way the SABC conduct its business, e.g. the workers have been suspended on full pay without any valid and tangible reasons and presently there are more than two hundred disputes between the workers and the management at CCMA.

Another area of concern is that the management and operation of the SABC News is the exodus of staff from this division which management fails to manage.

Issued by: CWU

For more information please contact:

Vulture Ntuluki - 0827459063 or 011 838 8188