MBABANE:A well-resourced trade union is on standby waiting to assist Times of eSwatini employees in taking their Director Paul Loffler to court, should the businessman decides not to pay the workers their terminal benefits before selling the company.
This comes after this Swaziland News reported that,the media company will soon be under new Directors and/or owners, the soon-to-be new owner confirmed to Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini last week that negotiations “are at an advanced” stage.
“We received a call from a Times journalist who asked for support on behalf of the employees in taking the matter to court. Utsi kute labatjelwa kona about their terminal benefits kani bayabona kutsi leliphepha selitsengisiwe nabo sebatsengisiwe, kutjelwa a few senior employees bona beve sebacocelwa sekuphunywa emihlanganweni. We are ready to help them with lawyers but we don’t want this to be known, we will be helping fellow workers”, said a unionist when speaking to the editor of this publication on Sunday evening.
Loffler previously confirmed to this publication that he might consider selling the Times however, however, this Swaziland News is yet to receive a response regarding terminal benefits for the workers including journalists.
On another note, Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini said he will also engage the Times Director to consider paying the terminal benefits instead of waiting to be taken to court.
“As a person I consistently talk to, I will also try and engage him to be open to all the employees about the future of the media company instead of speaking to a few senior employees. Working without knowing what tomorrow might bring is very frustrating, these workers must be formally addressed particularly on the issue of their terminal benefits so that they can propertly plan for their lives. It’s very frustrating to read in other publications that the company you are working for has been sold without any formal notice from your employer regarding your further and terminal benefits. Even if you were applying for a bank loan, the financial institution might halt the process pending clear explanation about your future as an employee. So Loffler must be open because as the situation stands, the future for these workers is uncertain,” said the editor.
Times Offices.