[I just heard at work that those nuisance Security Guards will be having a massive strike is planned for tomorrow in Johannesburg. They say part of the inner city will be closed from 11am… and we’re not sure when we will be able to go home.

Now incidentally, tomorrow, the SABC also has another strike, this time by COSATU – also planned for the same day. The two strikes will therefore be only a few Kilometres apart from each other.

Given the tremendous violence in Cape Town yesterday, I wonder how things will go for us for tomorrow in Johannesburg’s city centre? Will they try to smash cars and shops here too?

Its a season of strikes… and our Marxist scum are behind it! Jan]

Here is the memo which the SABC staff received:-

South African Broadcasting Corporation Limited

Office of the Group Executive
Human Capital Services
RadioPark Cnr Artillery and Henley Roads
Auckland Park 2092. Private Bag X1 Auckland Park 2006 Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa.
Tel (43)+27 11 714-3331/4711 Fax (43)+27 11 714-4820

INTERNAL MEMORANDUM

TO ALL SABC EMPLOYEES 16 May 2006

COSATU PROTEST ACTION IN TERMS OF THE
SECTION 77 (1) (d) OF THE LRA, 1995

In the compliance with section 77 (2) (d) of the Labour Relations Act, COSATU has notified NEDLAC on 04 May 2006 that its members would be embarking on the nation wide protest action in a form of a stay away on 18 May 2006 against job losses in the manufacturing sector. This will include lunchtime demonstrations in the manufacturing sector on 09 May 2006 and in the public sector on 11 May 2006. Mining, construction, services, parastatals and other employees will take part in lunchtime demonstrations on 16 May 2006.

The protest action only covers members of COSATU and its affiliates (in this case, the Communication Workers Union). No member of the other union federation may embark on stay away on the said date (Both FEDUSA and NACTU and their affiliates did not serve notices on NEDLAC for the protest action in terms of s 77 of LRA, 1995).

In view of COSATU™s compliance with the legal requirements for protest action, the action is protected under the LRA, meaning that employees who participate in this action do not commit a delict or a breach of contract nor can they be subjected to any disciplinary action by the SABC. However, those employees who misconduct themselves during this action shall be liable to disciplinary action being taken against them, despite the protection afforded by the Act.

The protest action is not solely focused on the Corporation, but rather to all sectors of the economy, including the parastatals. The SABC is the parastatal and therefore will be equally affected.

The principle of œNo work, no pay shall be strictly applied to those employees who will engage on protest action despite, the fact that the action is legitimate.

The principle shall apply for absences of a full day as well as part of a working day. The following calculation rates shall apply:

I. Employees paid on an hourly basis:
(162)¢ Pay to be deducted for hours not worked;
II. Permanent employees and employees paid on a 6/8 or 5/8 basis:
(162)¢ Daily rate: Annual salary divided by 365 and rounded off to the nearest cent
(162)¢ Hourly rate: Daily rate divide by 8 and rounded off to the nearest cent.

The deductions from the salaries of employees who participated on the protest action shall be affected on the month of the protest action, if not possible, on the month following the said protest action. It must be noted that those services that fail to effect the deductions will be exposed to the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 in respect of fruitless and irregular expenditure.

Essential service workers are not permitted to participate in the protest action during their working hours. If they are found to have done so, that will constitute an act of misconduct and they will be subjected to disciplinary measures.

Furthermore, no leave will be granted for purposes of the proposed protest action. Leave shall only be granted in terms of the leave policy of the SABC. The accurate record shall be kept of employees who participate in the protest action in terms of the template(s) provided for by the Group Employee Relations department.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the Group Employee Relations department at (011) 714 3972

Your Co-operation in this regard will be appreciated

Dr PAT NAVES
GROUP EXECUTIVE: HUMAN CAPITAL