News / Local
Trevor Ncube's AMH workers moots a strike
02 Apr 2012 at 11:17hrs | Views
HARARE - Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) workers are mulling a strike against the media company over new salary scheduled crafted without their consent.
In a notice sent to all workers on Monday, pay days are with effect from this month going to be staggered starting from 21st spilling over to the 4th of next month.
The Trevor Ncube controlled AMH publishes Newsday, The Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard newspapers.
The media house recently applied for a commercial radio licence to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) under Carryslot Investments (Pvt) Ltd.
However, workers are now up in arms with management and planning to strike and take up the issue with the Labour courts.
Commented a general worker, "It's against everything normal, we have bills, rentals, loans etc which should be paid before those days and they don't have the decency to tell us, we had a meeting with Trevor last week and he didn't mention a thing."
"This is against labour laws of Zimbabwe. Workers should be paid their salaries within a working month," she added.
Another worker said they have gone for 15 months without any pay increase.
Moral is said to be at an all time low at both Harare and Bulawayo offices after receiving the notice.
To compound the plight of workers, they don't have a worker's committee.
Workers at the media stable say the media house been struggling to pay workers on time but are afraid to voice out as any dissent is easily squashed.
The Group Chief Executive Officer, Raphael Khumalo went on leave on Monday to the 9th of April.
The Group Financial Director, Ruvimbo Chipango is the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer.
Last year, AMH confirmed that they are in partnership with foreign funders for their daily title, NewsDay.
In an October 2009 cable, the US embassy's charge de affairs, Donald Petterson, wrote: "In recent conversations, publisher of The Independent and The Standard Trevor Ncube has told us of his intention to publish a daily, NewsDay.
"A representative of the Media Development Loan Fund which supports Ncube's Mail & Guardian in South Africa, visited us last week.
"She said her organization is investing US$3 million dollars equity in Newsday and providing an additional US$1 million loan.
"A used Swedish printing press is now being set up in Harare and Ncube would like to begin a print run of 30,000 in November."
International whistle blower, WikiLeaks blew the cover on Ncube-owned media group when it revealed that a United States organization, Media Development Loan Fund (MDFL), invested $4 million in the NewsDay project.
Below is the new controversial schedule,
PAYROLL SALARY PAYMENT DATE
1. Insertors 21st day of the month to which the salary relates.
2. NewsDay 26th day of the month to which the salary relates.
3. Munn Marketing 26th day of the month to which the salary relates.
4. The Zimbabwe Independent 30th day of the month to which the salary relates.
5. The Standard 4th day of the month following the month to which the salary relates.
6. Executive Committee 4th day of the month following the month to which the salary relates.
In a notice sent to all workers on Monday, pay days are with effect from this month going to be staggered starting from 21st spilling over to the 4th of next month.
The Trevor Ncube controlled AMH publishes Newsday, The Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard newspapers.
The media house recently applied for a commercial radio licence to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) under Carryslot Investments (Pvt) Ltd.
However, workers are now up in arms with management and planning to strike and take up the issue with the Labour courts.
Commented a general worker, "It's against everything normal, we have bills, rentals, loans etc which should be paid before those days and they don't have the decency to tell us, we had a meeting with Trevor last week and he didn't mention a thing."
"This is against labour laws of Zimbabwe. Workers should be paid their salaries within a working month," she added.
Another worker said they have gone for 15 months without any pay increase.
Moral is said to be at an all time low at both Harare and Bulawayo offices after receiving the notice.
To compound the plight of workers, they don't have a worker's committee.
Workers at the media stable say the media house been struggling to pay workers on time but are afraid to voice out as any dissent is easily squashed.
The Group Financial Director, Ruvimbo Chipango is the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer.
Last year, AMH confirmed that they are in partnership with foreign funders for their daily title, NewsDay.
In an October 2009 cable, the US embassy's charge de affairs, Donald Petterson, wrote: "In recent conversations, publisher of The Independent and The Standard Trevor Ncube has told us of his intention to publish a daily, NewsDay.
"A representative of the Media Development Loan Fund which supports Ncube's Mail & Guardian in South Africa, visited us last week.
"She said her organization is investing US$3 million dollars equity in Newsday and providing an additional US$1 million loan.
"A used Swedish printing press is now being set up in Harare and Ncube would like to begin a print run of 30,000 in November."
International whistle blower, WikiLeaks blew the cover on Ncube-owned media group when it revealed that a United States organization, Media Development Loan Fund (MDFL), invested $4 million in the NewsDay project.
Below is the new controversial schedule,
PAYROLL SALARY PAYMENT DATE
1. Insertors 21st day of the month to which the salary relates.
2. NewsDay 26th day of the month to which the salary relates.
3. Munn Marketing 26th day of the month to which the salary relates.
4. The Zimbabwe Independent 30th day of the month to which the salary relates.
5. The Standard 4th day of the month following the month to which the salary relates.
6. Executive Committee 4th day of the month following the month to which the salary relates.
Source - Byo24News
