Union Solidarity says it will demand that Media24 prove that it has explored all alternatives before issuing retrenchment notices to its staff members.
This comes after the media organisation furnished formal Section 189A notices for a proposed restructuring that could affect up to 126 jobs at titles including Huisgenoot, Sarie, News24 and Netwerk24.
The cuts target sports and lifestyle editorial departments, with Solidarity saying the possible loss of expertise at established publications is deeply concerning.
Solidarity’s Labour Relations Organiser Johan Roos says, “We do think that those members should be redeployed in roles that are available within Media24, that external positions are frozen, so no one is recruited during this process externally and that our members get preferential placement in those roles.”
Roos adds, “They are considering outsourcing some of these roles, and we are going to have to ask them if this the best way to conduct business going forward, and what savings would that mean for Media24?”
