Workers of the Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) have gone onstrike today to protest against poor treatment of employees and new regulations imposed by the authorities. The regular transmission of national TV and radio channels in Bahrain is expacted to be seriously affected. Workers will gather outside the offices of BTV and Bahrain Radio to express their resentment over the new rules imposed by the CEO of the BRTC.
An employee of the Information Ministry who did not wish to be named, told Khaleej Times on Sunday that the policies being followed by the newly-appointed head of the BRTC Ahmed Najim had upset most of the workers. Najim has ordered a reduction in the monthly overtime payment from 60 hours to 30 hours and implemented a rotating system under which no employee could stay on a post for more than a few months.
“The rotating system could not be justified as it shifts workers from radio to TV and vice versa that could affect their performance as well as creating a sense of insecurity among them,” he said, while pointing out that the strike would continue till the BRTC looks into their demands, otherwise mass resignation would take place.
“According to many of my colleagues, the rotating system was not studied carefully before its implementation. It does not depend on qualification and job experience of a worker, thereby creating a situation where work could be delayed,” he said. “Many workers feel that the rotating system is part of a plan to tackle corruption but some of those covered under the system are expected to retire in few months.”
He said the BRTC chief also cancelled flexible timings offered to workers and imposed fixed timings starting from 7am to 3pm, which caused reduction in employees overtime to 30 hours.
(Source: Khaleej Times)
