Bemawu to seek dispute resolution meeting with SABC over retrenchments

The Broadcasting, Electronic, Media & Allied Workers Union (Bemawu) says it will seek a dispute resolution meeting with the SABC over what it says are complaints received over irregularities in the retrenchment process at the public broadcaster.

Bemawu and the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) met with the SABC to discuss the completion of the retrenchment process.

The public broadcaster says the transition into the new structure will begin from April 1.

Over 600 workers have departed the SABC as a result of the process.

Bemawu President Hannes du Buisson says if the meeting is unsuccessful they will approach the Labour Court.

“The most concerning part of that meeting was the admission by the SABC that it has lost a lot of talent as a result of the lower salaries and salary scales that was given to or offered to employees. The SABC has not thought through this process properly.”

“We are seeing people that were released on severance packages [have been] rehired on a freelance basis. There’s about a hundred positions that have not been advertised [and as a result,] have not been filled. We will write to the SABC [to] set up a dispute resolution meeting with them. Once that has happened and we cannot agree then the matter will proceed to the Labour Court,” explains Du Buisson.

In the video below, Bemawu threatens legal action following SABC retrenchments: