Monday, 30 June 2008

Offer rejected

All three Unions have rejected the multi-term proposed by the SABC. According to the SABC we will meet soon to discuss the way forward.

We are labour unions that have the right to negotiate terms and conditions of employment. The SABC is NOT offering anything additional to convince us to accept a multi-term. Latest settlements are on 12% without a multi-term.

We will keep you updated.

Saturday, 21 June 2008

Who do you think they laughing at?


Our SABC Board chairperson and the Honourable MOM (Minister on a Mission.... ?)

Friday, 20 June 2008

Let's fix OUR SABC

The Minister of Communications, Ms Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburri has requested BEMAWU to make a submission regarding issues prevailing at the SABC. Our submission must reflect on:-

- Administrative problems and challenges,
- Management problems,
- Governance relations and challenges

The aim is to create a turn-around strategy for the SABC.

Now is the time to change things and to fix the problems we experience within the SABC.

Kindly mail or fax your contribution as soon as possible or use the comment link hereunder. Also inform other staff and members to send their submissions as soon as possible.

Mail - headoffice@bemawu.org.za
Fax 0866715585

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Wage Negotiations Update II - 18 June 2008

The SABC has made a new offer of 11.5% ATB, with the same multi-term as previously. This offer excludes employees on scale code 130 and above.

The proposed multi-term is still not clear. It refers to history as well as forecast CPI-X.

The three unions is planning to have a joint feedback meeting on Friday with links to the regions. Kindly make sure you attend the meeting. The proposed agreement will be explained to ensure a proper understanding of all the pros and cons.

We in principle don't like a CPI-X based agreement, as our demands should be based on affordability opposed to how the economy is doing. CPI-X also does not take care of interest rates on mortgage bonds.

It is furthermore unacceptable to exclude any BEMAWU member from any agreement.

Feel free to comment and indicate your preference by voting.

Wage Negotiations Update - 18 June 2008

BEMAWU meets with the SABC this morning in an attempt to resolve the impasse around salary negotiations. More communications will follow soon.

Thursday, 12 June 2008

Salary Negotiations Final Offer

The SABC Board has made a final offer of 11% ATB increase on condition that we agree to a multi-term wage agreement.

What does a Multi-term agreement mean?

What the SABC Board wants is to not engage with us for the next two years to negotiate a salary increase. They want us to agree to an increase of the previous year’s average CPI-X +1% for the financial years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011.

For example, if the average CPI-X of this current year (2008) at 31 December 2008 is 5%, members will automatically receive a 6% increase. More examples…

Average CPI-X as at 31 December 2008 = 5%. Your increase on 1 April 2009 will be 6%.
Average CPI-X as at 31 December 2009 = 7%. Your increase on 1 April 2010 will be 8%.

The average CPI-X for the past four years was:

2004 – 4.3%
2005 – 3.9%
2006 – 4.6%
2007 – 6.5%

The only time the SABC Board is prepared to negotiate with us during this period is when the CPI-X drops below 4% or rises to 9% or more.

In terms of an increase in the housing subsidy, meal subsidy and gym subsidy the SABC Board is not interested to finalise any increase in these subsidies. Instead, the Board is proposing to move negotiations to August 2008 on those issues.

CPI-X EXCLUDES interest rates on bonds.
Therefore, if there is a sharp rise in the interest rate of your bond, the CPI-X will NOT be influenced by this and will NOT increase and will NOT offer us the opportunity to negotiate an inflation based salary increase. You will have to absorb such an increase yourself!

The SABC Board is still demanding that BEMAWU members on scale code 130 and above be EXCLUDED from this agreement. (See previous post for more detail on this)

As the negotiations team we need a mandate from you.

Do we accept the 11% ATB increase with the multi-term agreement, and by doing so accept that
1.1 for the next two years we will NOT be able to negotiate a salary increase on your behalf unless the average CPI-X drops below 4% or rises to 9% or more
1.2 Housing, Gym and Meal Subsidy will be discussed and negotiated in August 2008 with absolutely no guarantee it will be increased
1.3 Even if interest rates on bonds double, we will NOT be able to engage the SABC Board on further negotiations for a salary increase?

If we do not accept the 11% as presented to us, we can continue to negotiate until we reach a deadlock, which will be the next step as the SABC Board has made a final offer.

Should we accept that BEMAWU members on scale code 130 be excluded from the Agreement, or should we demand that all BEMAWU members is covered by the Agreement?

Please respond by sms or e-mail or fax with “ACCEPT” or “REJECT” It is important that you use the exact words as it will be counted automatically by computer.

Please post your thoughts here. Also exercise your vote on the front panel.

To sms reply to sms message
To fax use 0866715585
To mail use headoffice@bemawu.org.za

Salary Negotiations - 12 June 2008

Salary Negotiations for the financial year 2008/2009 resumed on 11 June 2008.

The SABC has made a revised offer of 7.8% ATB increase to SABC employees. BEMAWU (and other unions) has put a counter demand of 14.2% ATB - applicable to ALL OUR MEMBERS, plus the following other critical issues :

1. A R16 800 p.a Housing Subsidy for all members of BEMAWU in the Bargaining Unit.
2. The conversion of Fixed Term Contracts to Permanent Contracts for all BEMAWU members currently employed on fixed term contracts in permanent positions.
3. Gym Subsidy of R720 p.a for all BEMAWU members
4. Meal Subsidy R 106 per month for all BEMAWU members.

REMEMBER - THE NEGOTIATIONS TEAM IS GETTING ITS MANDATE FROM THE SABC BOARD!

The SABC Negotiations Team refused to negotiate on the issues of an increase in housing subsidy, the conversion of fixed term contracts, a gym subsidy and a meal subsidy as they had no mandate from the Board to do so.

Putting it differently - The SABC Board does not believe you should receive an increase on your housing subsidy. The SABC Board does not believe you should be assisted to join a gym to regularly exercise with all the benefits a healthy employee brings to a company. The SABC Board does not believe you should have security and stability of employment by converting your fixed term contract, which they keep on renewing, to a permanent contract.

The SABC Negotiations Team also refused to consider BEMAWU's proposal that a salary increase must be applicable to ALL of its members. The SABC Board wants to exclude BEMAWU members on scale code 130 and above.

The SABC Board therefore wants to discourage a certain group of employees to exercise their constitutional right to belong to and participate in the lawful activities of a trade union, of which salary negotiations is part of.

The SABC Board has lots of money to WASTE on litigation but they plead poverty when it comes to a salary increase.
The SABC Board has lots of time to WASTE to pick frivolous and political fights with Group Executive, but no time to ensure a speedy settlement of the salary negotiations.
The SABC Board has lots of energy to WASTE on meetings (which they get paid for!)to (now for the third time) try to suspend the GCE, but no energy to strategically attend to important matters like salary negotiations, staff regrading issues and to UNITE rather than to DIVIDE the SABC.

The SABC Negotiations Team indicated that they will take our proposal to the Board and give feedback today.

We will keep you posted here on new developments. The negotiations are set down for three days.