Issued by: Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation
PRESS RELEASE
An agreement in principle was reached today for an out-of-court settlement between the staff of Bop Broadcasting Corporation and the Government of the North West and brought prospects of ending the three month dispute over whether the corporation's 720 employees had been retrenched, said Chief Executive Officer Cawe Mahlati.
Her announcement followed Deputy Chief Executive Officer Abbey Chikane's address to staff in which he said that the NW Government's Executive Committee (EXCO) had made the in-principle agreement earlier today.
Under the settlement, employees would receive payouts before the end of December.
Ms Mahlati said both sides in the dispute had negotiated in a spirit of give and take which enabled them to reach an amicable resolution of the problem.
She said the settlement would result in packages being paid to staff, as well as gratuities from the Sebo pension fund, together worth a total of R143-million.
In return, she said, the employees had agreed to give up their rights to he annuity. The effect of this was a saving of R330-million on the original amount. A special dispensation was made for employees of 50 years and above to receive the annuity, according to Sebo regulations.
"The resolution of the dispute paves the way for restructuring and rationalisation of Bop Broadcasting Corporation," she said. "We have exciting plans which will ensure the future success of the Corporation."
"All services will continue to operate as at present and new and exciting programming is planned for our flagship TV station, Bop-TV."