Kampala – Sanyu FM workers staged a sit-down strike for a week after the management decided to cut workers’ salaries by 25%. This decision to cut employees’ salaries did not go well with the top presenters like James Onen popularly know as “Fatboy” who was hosting the morning show.
It is alleged that Sanyu FM top management held a meeting to quiz their employees over failure to hit more than 50 per cent of the revenue targets that were set for the radio station last year. This meeting was aimed at discussing a way forward since the station’s failure to hit the 2019 targets has been exacerbated by the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fatboy and several other Sanyu FM staff shunned the meeting and rather declared a sit-down strike. All pleas by the management to resolve the matter amicably fell on a deaf ear as the staff refused to have talks with their employees. The sit-down strike led by Fatboy ended in some employees firing themselves from the celebrated radio station. Sanyu FM responded by letting all the staff go and played music on the radio station all day as there were no people hosting any of the daily shows.
This action was confirmed when Fatboy tweeted, “Yes it’s true. I was fired today from Sanyu FM.” He also posted, “21 years the ride is over, thanks for the support all these years, you’re the best fans in the world, will communicate future plans soon. In the meantime, ladies, I’m coming for transport money #savetheboychild” James Onen has been replaced by comedian Patrick Salvado Idingri who put up a poster showing The Breakfast Show with “The man from Ombokolo” on Sanyu FM.
However the furious and angry fired Sanyu FM staff who still had access to the company’s digital platforms hijacked the company’s social media accounts like Twitter lamenting how they were fired unfairly. Here are some of the tweets;
“ You may have heard that we have been unfairly fired for a sit down strike protesting a 25% pay cut while we work. This is not in the spirit of fair negotiation between Sanyu FM and it’s staff! #SAVESANYUFM
Share this!”
“We are considering legal action against Sanyu FM for wrongful/unfair dismissal. Any lawyers who are not afraid of taking on #Sudhir please get in touch with us. #MakeItTrend #SAVESANYUFM”
Sanyu FM, however, refuted this action by deleting these tweets and tweeted, “We apologize for the tension that the previous tweets might have created. Kindly notice that we were hacked! We remain #TodaysBestMusic #SanyuAtHome” The Crane Chambers based radio station Sanyu FM owner Sudhir Ruperalia has ordered security not to allow in all the fired workers. They have been denied all access to the building and are stopped at the entrance and told to go back home. We are still waiting for an official comment from Sanyu FM which is under Ruperalia Group of Companies
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