Published by the government of Zimbabwe
29 January 2003
Harare — ZIMBABWE Broadcasting Corporation workers downed their tools yesterday demanding a 150 percent salary increment.
However, the strike did not affect broadcasting at the stations as all radio channels - 3FM, Radio Zimbabwe, FM Zimbabwe and Spot FM and the television channel were working normally.
ZBC chief executive Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the workers took management by surprise since they had not communicated their decision to strike.
"This strike is unfortunate and surprising," said Mr Hwengwere.
"As I speak, we have not received any communication from the workers and we do not know who is in charge.
"As far as we know, the workers just came in the morning, disembarked from the company buses at the gate and decided to sit there."
Workers at the broadcasting station's studios in Bulawayo and Gweru did not join the strike.
The strike came just as the corporation was planning to go on the market next week to raise about $1,7 billion for recapitalisation purposes and other financial obligations. It was expected that part of the money would be used to buy equipment and meet other operational needs.
The corporation's restructuring, which saw it scaling down its workforce by almost 50 percent to 400 employees last year, enabled the public broadcaster to streamline and maintain thresholds between revenue generation and expenditure.
"We know that after the retrenchment, workers thought salaries were going to be reviewed," said Mr Hwengwere. But you retrench because you cannot pay."
He said the corporation was functioning with a few workers who did not heed the call to strike and personnel from management.
"ZBC has resolved to declare this strike illegal," said Mr Hwengwere.
"We have no notice from the workers and even if you want to strike, you have to first reach a deadlock, but there was no deadlock reached."
He said the strike was surprising because the workers were awarded a 20 percent salary increment in December 2002 which was back dated to July that year and a further 10 percent this month.
Negotiations for increments for this year were expected to start at a date that was to be agreed upon between management and the workers.
Some workers at ZBC, Mr Hwengwere said, were still living with the mistaken belief that ZBC was receiving grants from the Government.
ZBC corporate secretary Ms Jennifer Tanyanyiwa said management remained committed to dialogue with the workers.
"We would like to ensure our valued listeners, viewers and customers that the strike will not affect our programming," she said in a statement.
"We will continue to flight programmes as scheduled."
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