Government, union ink broadcasting merger
All workers to be severed
Stabroek News
January 30, 2004
The merger of the Guyana Television Broadcasting Company Ltd (GTV Channel 11) and the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was yesterday approved with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the government and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU).
A release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) yesterday said the MOU was signed following a meeting between President Bharrat Jagdeo and leaders of the CCWU at which merger issues were discussed.
The MOU signed by Head of the Privatisation Unit, Winston Brassington, and Information Liaison to the President, Robert Persaud, on behalf of government and CCWU President and General Secretary, Roy Hughes and Grantley Culbard respectively will see GTV and GBC evolving into a single new entity on March 1, 2004.
Cabinet, at its meeting on Tuesday, had agreed to the setting aside of some $23 million to finance redundancy payments for employees of the two entities who will be severed.
The GINA release yesterday said the MOU will provide for ex-gratia payments for severed workers with those with more than one but less than three years service receiving 10% and those above three years getting 15% of the computed severance pay.
While the parties continue to disagree on the principle of severance, the MOU says that workers will get payment in accordance with the respective Collective Labour Agreements (CLA).
The CCWU, according to the MOU, as part of the vesting order will continue to be recognised as bargaining agents for workers at the new entity and will prior to the end of the transition period negotiate and settle a new CLA applicable to the equivalent grades of persons they previously represented at GTV and GBC.
The MOU also stipulates that as part of the process of issuing severance letters, temporary contracts will be given to all employees for them to indicate, within two working days, their intention of remaining with the new body. These contracts are to be signed and returned to show intention of continuing employment, the release said.
The contracts, of six months duration, will allow the employer or employee the option of terminating them at one month's notice, unless the temporary employee is dismissed for cause in which case no notice is required.
While on temporary contracts employees will continue to be paid at the rate they were earning prior to the merger, plus an eight per cent payment in lieu of leave and other benefits.
All positions in the new firm are to be advertised with immediate past employees of GTV and GBC getting first preference for these positions, the GINA release said.
However, they will have to be ranked based on experience, qualifications and other criteria provided to the union and will be selected based on interviews with a panel comprising senior personnel of the new entity and the PU.
According to GINA, it is hoped that completion of these internal processes could be done within three months of the creation of the new entity.
However, if positions remain unfilled after internal applications, these positions will be advertised and if no satisfactory applicants are found then persons not previously hired, the release said, will fill these.
At the end of the six-month transition period all employees offered permanent employment would enjoy salaries and benefits, which will apply to the new company.