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.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

what does the offer mean for BEMAWU members on a scale 130 and above?

Anonymous said...

I understand the concern about the higher scale codes, but the lower scale codes desperately need their increases. The higher scale codes have other benefits that is exclusively theirs and does not have anything to do with the lower scale codes. Can negotiations for them not be handeled seperately, so that the rest can get their long awaited increase?

Anonymous said...

Please remember that the 130 upwards also got their parity earlier this year, so they are not that bad off. But us ordinary people do have a serious problem with not getting ad hoc's, regradings or any special allowances. Please consider negotiating for the higher scale codes seperately, so that our increases can go through asap.

Anonymous said...

I believe that SABC is trying to rob us of the best opportunity its members will ever have to negotiate a good deal. The multiterm agreement is designed to stop us forcing them to give us a better increase in 2010

Anonymous said...

We are all part of one big union! Why should we exclude Scale 130 and above? I think it is not fair! Those members rely on other member's support to equally benefit from the negotiations. Comrades, let us reject the offer for as long as it excludes certain union members and show our unity to management.

Anonymous said...

I will only accept 11% without the 2 year increment. I.e. 11% now and negotiations every year thereafter. We are treated very badly by the Board and Management, for example people at TV are working in 24 hour shifts with no Canteen facilities at all. No one has bothered to send a tender out before closing the canteen down. The SABC feels nothing for its workers.

Anonymous said...

Some of us need the extra money. The way things are dragging, it can easlily be December before we get any increase. And we never get the interest on the money - the SABC is getting that. We cannot wait any longer for our increases.

Anonymous said...

BEMAWU members on scale 130 and above are also union members, who pay to be part of the union too. they too, work hard and we should not forget, they also have many responsibilities and pressures that come with the scale and also work hard for their salaries. lets not forget them now ...

Anonymous said...

I do believe we need to finalise the increase as soon as possible. We need that extra cash, things are extremely costly these days, and the people on scale 130 are manging better than the rest of us, plus they have perks. I agree with the person who said that issue should be dealt with later or separately, I dont think we should stall too much. I know the increase will be back-dated but we need that money now. It's always the people on the lower scales that suffer the most.

Anonymous said...

I think it's vital that the SABC converts the fixed term contract workers to permanent employees. We have been on a contract for 7 years, have tried to get HR to assist us - they are not interested. I hope and trust that our union will be able to push for this as this is unfair labour practise!

Anonymous said...

CPI-X figures is the only real indicator that can be used, and is used quite extensively during salary negotiations, given this and the fact that the inflation figures are likely to rise over the next few years, the proposal on the table looks quite satisfactory, exact wording of the agreement must be looked into,and perhaps increased percentages ovr the next two years, but I believe that the multi-term proposal will serve us the employees of the SABC well, the question is what does this mean for the leadership of our Union and why do they seem hellbent on dissuadng us from accepting the agreement ?

As far as the exclusion of scales 130 up is concerned, the bargaining council has, AFAIK, always represented scales 409 to 300, and the agreements are implemented across the board, including non-unionised members, so this is a non-issue

Anonymous said...

CPI-X is not the only real indicator. CPI-X is a historic figure. It could have been a very good year the previous year, but eveything like electricity, petrol, interest rates, food prices, etc may sharply rise in the current year. What then? Will the previous writer be satisfied to then accept a salary increase of the historic CPI-X? No, he/she will not! What if the SABC has a very good year with millions of surplus? The CPI-X is very dangerous. The effect of CPI-X is when its a bad year for the economy, employees will get a higher increase, in particular when the SABC cannot afford a high increase becuase of the poor economy. When it's a good year, and the SABC can in fact afford a better increase, employees wil get a lower increase. Its stupidity! What will the SABC do if they tied to an agreement and financially its not doing well? They will retrench! Can you afford to loose your job?
Think again!

How do we call ourselves a union but we exclude some of our members?

Would lower than 130 scale employees be happy if the union negotiates a 14th cheque for 130 and higher scale members only?

Off course not!

Anonymous said...

I believe that the 130 and higher people won't care if they get 14th cheques and not the rest of the staff. In any case, they already get performance bonuses and their 13th cheques have been taken away, but at the same time been added to their monthly salaries, so they did not loose anything. And please don't forget that it is the 130's and higher who are causing all the problems at the SABC at the moment and the lower scale codes must be at work and see that the ship sails.

Anonymous said...

I think we should just accept the 11'5% without the multi term, I totally agree with the previous comrade. please remember that the 300 -130 scale codes are what BEMAWU members mostly consits of.
The SABC is in a very dangerous position for it to threaten us, we can easily have an industrial action so that our voices could be heard,remember that we could embrass the board and ask for it to step down.We cannot afford to risk the membership of our union.

Anonymous said...

Why exclude the 130+ scale - is it because they have already implemented the new Performance Management System before the talks with the unions has been concluded about it's general acceptance. In terms of the Labour Act - ALL STAFF has a right to be represented by a registered UNION. I belong to BEMAWU and as such have a right to be represented by you.

So I vote NO

Anonymous said...

I seriously don't care about scale 130 and higher because they earn money that I can only dream about. Why should HIGH earners spoil it for those of us who desperately need it. You can not compare my salary of R9800.00 a month with a Regional Manager that earns R34000 a month with a car scheme and home equipment included. Sorry - they get no sympathy from me.

But I do object to the CPU-X proviso. 2010 is coming up - it is the staff of the SABC's biggest bargaining chip for better working conditions. The SABC is very cleverly trying to make sure that there is no possibility of strikes that can make them lose face in the eyes of the government during this period. I say NO!

Anonymous said...

It's way beyond time the unions flex their muscles. Let's show the SABC what we are really made of. Management have been stalling too long on many issues as well as trying to pin us into a corner regarding pay increases.
Bring it on!!

Anonymous said...

It just seems so unfair that we are working for a company that waste millions on revamping and other really unnecessary things and there are thousands of employees so eagerly awaiting they little increases just to continue living one day at a time and can hardly make ends meet. The saying of rich get richer and poor get poorer is so true in the SABC. Board does not worry about the employees and is putting up endless court battles that is costing SABC millions. That money can be used for our increases. I say 11.5 without multiterm. The intercom that was sent out last week makes the offer seem so nice but it is not for the long term, It's a trick. They looking at saving monies in the wrong places. People are stealing so much money and getting away with it. Some people pretend like they are not working for a Government concern but that they own the business.

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