By Our reporter
Few days ago, giant, multi billion, media pioneers- Nation Media group and state owned Vision Group officially notified their workers that they were facing difficulties in meeting their financial contractual obligations they have with their employees, citing Codiv-19 pandemic lock down as the cause.
In their letters addressed to their respective employees dated April 29, 2020 and April 30, 2020, both companies notified their employees that unless the companies reduced their growth salaries by up to 60%, the companies were at their kneels and would probably be forced to close till further notice.
This literally meant that employees’ salaries were now to be used as the last safety pins to save the limping companies go through the turmoil courtesy of Codiv-19. “Following consultation with the Board, there will be a growth salary reduction of 60% for those who earn above shs19m,” read part of the memo sent to all Vision Group employees.
However, this is not the case at the Kamwokya based Next Media Services Ltd that runs NBS,Salam,Sanyuka Tvs, Nile post and Nxt radio, among others. This,after the company’s CEO Kin Kariisa,who doebles as the Chairman NAB wrote a memo, copied to all staff, in which he assured all his employees that none of them was going to lose their jobs or salaries under the blanket cover of Covid-19 lock down.
Kin challenged his competitors when he assured his employees who are currently on leave that the company would honour all their contractual obligations as agreed and that no one would lose their salaries or jobs.
“To those of us on leave, I call upon you to maximize that rest. When it is done, we’ll have a marathon. To all of us as a whole, be at peace. Your jobs with us, as well as your salaries, will all remain as agreed in your respective contracts. This also applies to your benefits. Continue to be safe, keep winning,” Kin’s memo read in part which he intentionally wrote on Labour day, Friday 1st may to all staff.
In his labour day national address, president Yoweri Museveni advised all employers not to lay to lay off employees on account of Codiv19 pandemic because the situation would soon normalize, but could rather use this time to send them on their annual leave. As if he had peeped into president’s speech earlier, Kin had done exactly that way long.
As if to add salt to an injury, on Saturday, social media was awash with former Nation Media Group employee Sheilah Gashumba’s rants about being paid peanuts for a ‘great’ job she was doing for the company. According to her, she was being exploited by being paid shs50k per show.
