The potential late payment of salaries at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has the attention of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) and the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM).
Both organisations indicated on Tuesday that they were keeping a close eye on the developing situation at the state-owned broadcasting agency.
In a memo dated February 6, CBC’s Chief Executive Officer Sanka Price informed staff that because of financial challenges, their pay may not be on time “this month and in the months ahead”.
The BWU said in a statement that it was concerned the late payment of salaries negatively impacts employees and their families.
“We will not outline any further details at this time as we do not wish to prejudice the hardworking employees of the CBC in any way. Still, we want them to know that this developing event has the full attention of the Barbados Workers’ Union,” it said, pledging loyalty to its members at CBC.
BARJAM added that “while it was early in the process, we will monitor closely for both staff and freelancers who will be affected as well”.
Sources close to the situation have told Barbados TODAY that since receiving Price’s correspondence, employees are worried about the situation.
In his memo, the CEO said the “poor cash flow situation” at CBC had been ongoing for several months but management did not previously alert employees and instead used every option available to generate enough income to meet salaries.
However, he added, “the challenging financial environment that has increasingly been impacting the Corporation’s cash flow has now become acute”.
Therefore, he said, it was possible that from this month, “we may be unable to pay salaries on time as we consistently did for the last 29 months”.
“I can assure you that everything possible will be done for the Corporation to meet its obligations to you in a timely manner, so this only serves to alert you to the possibility of this inconvenience and to enable you to plan accordingly,” Price added.
The CEO said his first priority when his tenure began on June 15, 2020, had been to ensure salaries were paid on time because he saw how repeated late payments had impacted employees.
He noted that from September 2020 to January 2023, salaries were consistently paid as scheduled, despite the several financial challenges the Corporation faced during the period.
Price ended his memo by thanking staff for their continued support and urging them to “continue giving your all to lift CBC’s fortunes”. (AH)
