The Star reports that thousands of disgruntled Tiso Blackstar staff may soon embark on national strike action following a decision on Monday by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to grant them a certificate to picket.
The workers are unhappy about the non-payment of bonuses to certain units in the media group, which owns The Sunday Times, Business Day, Sowetan, Daily Dispatch and Financial Mail.
Last month, an internal memorandum sent to senior management was leaked after the group’s non-payment of bonuses.
Employees then sought representation from the Information Communication Technology Union (ICTU), which approached the CCMA. On Monday, the union members were granted permission to strike.
Tiso Blackstar managing director of media, Andy Gill, said the company did award bonuses to divisions that met the criteria, as well as awarding discretionary bonuses to top performers.
Gill said the union had yet to issue a notice to strike.
ICTU deputy president Origenius Mogoatlhe told The Star the logistics of the strike hadn’t been worked out.
“The company did confirm that they made a profit but they haven’t engaged employees about the bonuses that they deserve,” he said.
Mogoatlhe added that the workers were demanding 25% of the total cost to company with regard to the profit that the company made.
Gill noted: “We remain committed to constructively engage with our employees on this and any other matter that may arise.”
The union was still strategising for the strike and would not inform the media when it intended to start the action.
The original of this report appeared on page 3 of The Star of 6 March 2019
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