Employees of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, (NBC) on Friday 13th held a peaceful demon-stration to show their dissatisfaction with working conditions as well as empty promises of salary increases which has not been implemented.
The demonstration took place from the corner of Cullinan Street to the front of the Administration building within the NBC premises.
A letter drafted and circulated by the NBC Shop Stewards Council on April 10th highlights that the salaries of employees have not been adjusted for close to three years. The letter further states that while promises were made that there will be an adjustment, staff are left with no explanations when time arrives to implement the salary increases.
The statement reads: “To make matters worse, Management is drag-ging their feet and is employing delaying tactics, a feat which they seem to carry out rather hard-handedly! Our general benefits suffered as a result of the 9% increment not having been awarded! Our pensions are not growing; our medical aid is not adjusted! Transportation cost has quadrupled since the last increase we had! The cost of basic commodities that we depend on a daily basis has more than doubled, without any commensurate increase in our salaries.”
The Shop Stewards Council says NBC seems to have an Executive Manage-ment team that is incapable of stee-ring the Corporation adding that notable exceptions are there, but there is no business and strategic vision at all. The also say there is a huge lack of leadership skills!
“Employees are leaving the Cor-poration in droves, yet Management is indifferent and you even hear remarks like “Let them leave, I don’t care!” The top experienced people are leaving, yet there is nothing to stem the biggest labour mobility this country has ever seen.”
According to the statement employees have to endure very hard working conditions by having to fill in for others who have either resigned or whose contracts were terminated! “We are doing work that we are not being paid for.”
The statement also notes that employees will demonstrate each Friday between one and two until all their demands are met, adding that if things do not change for the better, they (employees) will take further serious action.
In response to the demonstration, National Director of MISA Namibia, Mathew Haikali says this is preciously why a media council is necessary in Namibia, to regulate and hold media houses as well as journalists accountable for certain actions.
Haikali notes: “The role of a media council will be to assist in ensuring that, editors, journalists, directors, producers, broadcasters and others involved in the Media adhere to the highest professional standards by strict compliance with the code of conduct in force from time to time.
In addition he says that a media council will also keep under review developments likely to restrict the supply of information of public interest and importance and to investigate the conduct and attitude of persons, corporations of governmental bodies at all levels towards the Media and to report publically thereon.