The Broadcasting Electronic Media and Allied Workers’ Union (Bemawu) this week said it would lodge a complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission over what the union calls the SABC’s abuse of power and biased reporting.
By the time the Mail & Guardian went to print on Thursday, about 3 000 — about 70% of SABC workers — were ready to down tools on Friday afternoon (October 10).
Bemawu and the Media Workers’ Association of South Africa (Mwasa) on Wednesday served the public broadcaster with a 48-hour strike notice.
The move followed three months of negotiations over annual wage increases that failed to reach agreement.
In a SAfm radio interview on Wednesday morning, SABC head of labour relations Tshepo Kganane discussed the intended strike action.
Bemawu told the M&G Kganane “slashed” the union’s strike plans. The union now accuses the broadcaster of not giving it an opportunity to respond on the same programme.
“We see this as biased and unbalanced reporting, and furthermore as abuse of power and controlling of the airwaves,” said Bemawu’s general secretary Hannes du Bussion.
Du Bussion said the union’s lawyers were currently looking at the matter and the union would file a complaint with the commission soon.
Kganane shot down Bemawu’s claims, insisting that it was also given an opportunity to state its case.
“It is completely incorrect to say the interview was biased. I am aware that Du Bussion was interviewed by stations like Classic FM, 702 and Kaya FM,” he told the M&G.
“The stations have never bothered to get our [the SABC’s] side of the story. If they [Bemawu] want to take us to the commission let them go ahead.”
Bemawu and Mwasa want a 9% across-the-board wage increase plus R200 monthly increases in houseing subsidies for all staff. SABC management is offering an 8,5% across-the-board increase and a R100 monthly increase in housing subsidies for lower-level employees only.
“This is an insult [to] workers,” Mwasa deputy president Tuwani Gumani told the M&G.
“Peter Matlare, the SABC chief executive, was given R200 000 for a R32-million deficit last year. Why can’t employees be given fair increases?”