Thursday, 24 April 2008

Well, well, well.....

So the cordial and good relationship with the SABC did not last that long! We received a very sarcastic, arrogant and threatening letter from the office of the General Manager, Group Labour Relations after our previous post informing you why you have not received your well deserved salary increase.

It was written by Mr Gary Mackensie. I will publish the letter as soon as I figure out how to do it here. In the meantime, herewith some of the contents.

We referred in our previous post to the General Manager, Group Labour Relations as "Nthlaks", as this is how he refers to himself most of the time. We were told that his name is not "Nthlaks" but "incidentally Nthlakanipo". I would say such a remark is arrogant and sarcastic. Furthermore, its been perceived by BEMAWU as picking a fight. Not words of a man interested in a cordial relationship with a trade union.

We will henceforth refer to the General Manager, Group Labour Relations as Mr Brightboy Nthlakanipo Nkontwana.

The rest of the letter deals with alleged misinformation in our previous post.

We have not published any misinformation in our previous post, or ever. Mr Makensie, on behalf of Mr Nkontwana denied that a meeting took place, and furthermore denied that Mr Nkontwana has said there is a problem with the budget.

Mr Paul Kruger, one of our shop stewards attended a grievance meeting in respect of petrol claims for employees on standby. At the commencement of the meeting he asked Mr Nkontwana why the salary negotiations have been cancelled. Mr Nkontwana informed him that it is due to budget problems, and that the negotiations team had NO MANDATE to continue with negotiations, until further notice. He informed our shop steward that the budget had been finalised, and dates will be communicated soon.

This has been reconfirmed in my presence on Tuesday, the 22nd of April 2008 that dates will be communicated soon and that there was a problem with the budget.

We were threatened by Mr Mackensie that if we do not remove our previous post, the SABC will no longer have a cordial relationship with us.

WE WILL NOT BE BULLIED BY YOU, MR MACKENSIE!

If you do not want to have a cordial relationship with us because we are telling the truth and informing our members why they have not received their well deserved salary increase, then so be it! Instead of taking the time to threaten and bully us, why did you not rather spent the time informing us of the reason why the SABC has suspended the salary negotiations? It's only good manners, in particular if you are serious about the relationship!

We are waiting for the dates, SABC!!!! We want our increase, and a good one too!!!

Wednesday, 09 April 2008

Salary Negotiations - Update

Salary negotiations with the SABC was postponed sine die as the DOC and portfolio committee on communications apparently did not approve the SABC's budget. According to sources the SABC submitted a budget indicating the SABC will run in a severe deficit the following financial year.

At a meeting on Monday, April 7, General Manager, Labour Relations of the SABC Ntlaks Nkontwana was asked when salary negotiations will resume. Nkontwana confirmed there was a problem was the budget, saying the SABC had no budget for a salary increase. He said the problem had been fixed and an invitation will go out soon to BEMAWU to resume the negotiations.

As soon as new information becomes available, an update will be posted here. Make sure you come back to be informed of the latest developments.

The SABC is still blocking BEMAWU to send out mass e-mail to our members.