According to the general secretary of SJA, Pedro Miguel, the restructuring process of Rádio Despertar, linked to the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), should lead to the dismissal of more than 40 workers, including journalists.
“This radio station only has capacity for 20 workers and it has almost 70 workers. We listened to the management of Despertar, they presented us with the maps, the schedule of what the restructuring of the radio station as a company is”, said Pedro Miguel, highlighting that the restructuring of Rádio Despertar – according to the management of the station – occurs within the scope of a request from the shareholders, justified by the “generalized economic crisis”.
“Unfortunately, when we talk about restructuring and in a situation of generalized economic crisis, it is clear that the worker will always be affected,” Pedro Miguel told Lusa, expressing solidarity and guaranteeing that he will monitor the development of the process.
The leader of SJA also lamented the low salaries that the employees and journalists of that radio station receive, highlighting that restructuring occurs in both public and private companies, and that Despertar intends to reduce the current staff to at least 20 employees.
Some of the affected workers complain of “unfair compensation and impediments to the creation of a union,” as reported by Voice of America.
Lusa contacted the management of Rádio Despertar, tried to speak to the station's employees and the UNITA spokesperson, but received no response.
Pedro Miguel insisted that the SJA will continue to monitor the Rádio Despertar process, noting, however, that the union's action does not go beyond solidarity with the affected journalists, as they are not affiliated with the union organization.
“We went to [radio] Despertar on our own initiative, because our colleagues are not affiliated with SJA, but we went there out of solidarity,” he noted.
Miguel said, on the other hand, that the problems of the media in Angola, especially those linked to salaries and working conditions, are not restricted to Rádio Despertar, and that the radio stations Comercial Cabinda, Morena (Benguela) and 2000 (Huíla) are also experiencing situations of “begging”.
“They also live in a situation of poverty, we have colleagues from these radio stations earning little, it is [about] all of this that we need to reflect,” he said.
Regarding public media companies, the SJA called a general meeting, scheduled for next week in Luanda, to address career progression and salary adjustments.
