Broadcasting12.12.2017

SABC staff to resume strike over wages

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SABC staff are due to resume strike action over wage disputes, the broadcaster announced on Monday.

Talks were held this weekend between the Broadcasting, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers’ Union (Bemawu), the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) and the SABC, where a revised offer was made.

“The SABC offered both unions a 4.5% increase for the last six months of the financial year 2017/2018 for employees in the bargaining unit to be paid at a later stage, when the organisation is financially stable,” SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said on Monday.

The unions, however, declined the offer.

Kganyago assured the public that the broadcast of the ANC’s 54th national conference was still on track to go ahead this coming Saturday.

Media reports last week said the strike could threaten the broadcaster’s ability to cover what is considered a watershed conference for the ruling party.

He said there would be a no-work, no-pay principle applied to striking staff.

Bemawu spokesperson Hannes du Buisson told News24 that staff requested an increase closer to inflation, at around 6%.

He said the strike was part of a larger list of 13 demands that staff had made back on October 13.

The other 12 have since “more or less” been resolved, or were in the process of being resolved, Du Buisson said.

The issue of the salary increases remained the only sticking point.

They have given the broadcaster until Thursday to respond to the strike action.

News24

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