#ICYMI: SABC brought to a standstill because of strike
Staff members took to the streets in protest over the proposed zero per cent salary increase that has been proposed by management.
Traffic outside the SABC’s Auckland Park offices came to a standstill on 2 November as staff members took to the streets in protest over the proposed zero per cent salary increase that has been proposed by management.
Read: SABC war long from over
Workers affiliated to Broadcast, Electronic Media and Allied Workers Union (Bemawu) demanded a 10 per cent salary increase but the public broadcaster said that it cannot afford this. Employees also demanded an investigation into reporting policies, unprocedural appointments of senior executives without advertising, and the lack of a salary increase.
“The bigger picture is that the corruption that is happening in all our SOEs (state-owned enterprises) has got an effect, it affects workers, this (strike) is a result of money that has been chowed by fat cats in tall buildings. We are here to say that we are demanding a stop to the corruption in SOEs and we are demanding our raises that we are entitled to, they (the senior management) must take a cut, they are the people that have led us to this point,” said Njabulo Shabangu, a journalist at the SABC.
Workers taking part in the protest said it was pathetic that the newly appointed board was refusing to give any salary increase.
The strike has since spread to other SABC offices around the country and there has been an impact on the organisation’s ability to produce news timely.
An urgent meeting was called for. “Management is still on zero per cent; we started at 15 per cent and then we dropped to 10 per cent; management didn’t move. So we gonna meet in that meeting and then we want them to move,” said Charles Sisaro, Bemawu shop steward.
Bemawu has vowed to intensify their strike if the public broadcaster doesn’t take their demands seriously and make an offer that is acceptable.
