Struggling media house Standard Group has issued emails to its radio staff, who are currently on a go-slow, instructing them to return to work without receiving their outstanding payments or face further consequences.
An email from the HR Officer, details that the radio team’s absence on Thursday and Friday has resulted in a loss of approximately KSh9.7 million. The email states, “The immobilization of our business over the past two days has led to a collective loss of KSh9.7 million. Unfortunately, the business cannot sustain such revenue losses and must implement a continuity plan to protect its products and generate the essential revenues.”
The HR Officer has instructed all radio staff to confirm in writing whether they will return to their workstations on Saturday, July 6, 2024, or according to their regular schedule. This will allow the company to make further decisions.
This directive comes despite assurances given during a Thursday meeting that at least 30% of the outstanding salaries would be paid by today, with an additional 20% scheduled for next week. As of Friday evening, no payments had been made as promised. The employees are owed at least seven months’ worth of salaries for the periods from July 2023 to August 2023 and February 2024 to June 2024.
On Thursday, all radio staff refrained from working, causing Standard Group’s radio platforms—Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Vybez Radio, and Berur FM—to broadcast only music or previously recorded shows.
