Eskom suspends Carte Blanche 4

[Kosmik]

I'm sure I read about this when it came out but can't find the old thread

Eskom has suspended four employees who participated in a Carte Blanche programme on the company's employment practices, the company said on Wednesday.

"... Eskom has taken a preliminary decision to suspend four (4) employees who participated in the Carte Blanche programme that was aired on 24 January 2010 pending the finalisation of their disciplinary hearings," a statement said.

The employees were given two working days to say why they should not be fired.

The preliminary suspension is with pay.

The company would not answer further questions on the matter.

According to the Carte Blanche transcript, the company went on a recruitment drive in 2006 which included the US and UK.

Eskom had apparently decided that to deal with the country's employment equity targets, half of the new recruits must be black women.

Four foreign employees were interviewed by Carte Blanche

The four complained that after their arrival in the country they were not expected when they arrived at their offices, and their pay and benefits were not what they had expected.

One woman identified as Grace said: "They are telling me that I was hired as local. That was not my intention.

"If they told me this before I got the job, I wouldn't have come. Because my intention was not to come here as a local South African, because first of all I'm not a South African and even if I want to be a South African and they won't let me be a South African - I'm only a South African at Eskom, because Eskom wants me to be local. Not us, just Eskom."

Another person, identified as Michelle, said: "Now I thought the purpose of you bringing people over from other areas was to infuse that knowledge from other areas to help build a better Eskom. That's what I thought.

"But I'm now believing the only reason that I'm here is so that I'm counted as a BEE [Black Economic Empowerment] number. I'm thinking, at the end of the day, that's why I'm here - just so that we can tick the BEE box." - Sapa

Origional Link -> IOL

I guess truth hurts.

 

[Ricard]

LOL

Shoot the messenger 'cos you dont like the message

 

[LazyLion]

won't stand up in CCMA or in court. They will have to re-hire them and might end up paying damages.

 

[mcryan]

Interesting, I can believe that Eskom could do something like this.

 

[Kosmik]

Call me dense but I see no difference between foreigners being used to meet BEE targets here, and foreigners being used to meet Equal Opportunities policies overseas. Eeeh?

The whole "point" of BEE is supposedly to empower LOCAL people.

 

[USZA]

The whole "point" of BEE is supposedly to empower LOCAL people.

That is exactly the point. ESKOM have been using foreigners to fill BEE targets - crooking the system, and now they want to discipline people for telling the truth.

 

[sox63]

On what basis are they being suspended? I know each employer has a confidentiality clause to employment contracts, but this is a bit heavy handed...

But I guess they knew something like this was going to happen, thats why CB never showed their faces...

 

[dlk001]

On what basis are they being suspended?

Nobody here knows until we've heard both sides to the story! If Eskom was contravening the Employment Equity Act, surely it should be an easy investigation to prove that.

 

[JungleBoy]

If BEE have allowed foreign employment as a loophole, then its time BEE is scrapped and discarded in the failbin.

You've been waiting to say that, haven't you? However, many more companies have not and do not exploit that loophole. In fact, in all of the companies that I worked for in the past they hired foreigners (black and white ) but they were never employed as designated employees.

 

[Sackboy]

They thought they were at home where they have the freedom of speech and other rights. They were very much mistaken.

 

[Balstrome]

You've been waiting to say that, haven't you? However, many more companies have not and do not exploit that loophole. In fact, in all of the companies that I worked for in the past they hired foreigners (black and white ) but they were never employed as designated employees.

Would you in your personal opinion care to suggest answers to the points the CB program brought up.

 

[AnomalyNexus]

suspension is with pay.

lol. Watch the Eskom employees lining up to do Carte Blanche interviews.

 

[Kosmik]

They thought they were at home where they have the freedom of speech and other rights. They were very much mistaken.

Sadly so, not a good start to the year.

 

[grok]

Can Eskom possibly sink any lower than this?

 

[Morgoth]

I don't think there is much of a difference between an Eskom Employee at work and an Eskom Employee on suspension,

 

[BBSA]

I don't think there is much of a difference between an Eskom Employee at work and an Eskom Employee on suspension,

The once on suspension can't break anything

 

[Vrotappel]

What an incredibly stupid move by Eskom. Unfortunately we'll end up paying for it. VIVA ANC, VIVA better life for all!

 

[murraybiscuit]

so what exactly does it mean then to be an 'african' american?

 

[Kloofvreter]

That is exactly the point. ESKOM have been using foreigners to fill BEE targets - crooking the system, and now they want to discipline people for telling the truth.

As if implying local BEE candidates are not skilled enough

 

[Kloofvreter]

so what exactly does it mean then to be an 'african' american?

Black American.