Unions negotiate with Paarl Media Group
2009-07-02
AFTER the disastrous fire at Paarl Print in April, the business is to be resurrected on the site of a sister company in Jan van Riebeeck Drive, opposite Paarl Post. It will take the place of Paarl Web, which is to move to Milnerton in an amalgamation with Paarl Gravure in Montague Gardens in the first half of 2010. The amalgamated business will be known as Paarl Media (Cape). According to a press release from the Paarl Media Group, the in-principle decision to amalgamate has been taken “after careful consideration of the current print media market and its potential development over the next five years”. Job losses are possible. A number of management changes have also been announced. Conrad Rademeyer (currently MD of PaarlWeb) will take up the position of Managing Director of Paarl Coldset (newspaper printing plants) from August this year, while Chris Snyman, Executive Director of the Paarl Media Group, will take over the responsibilities of Paarl Web until the amalgamation with Paarl Gravure is completed. Tobie Louw (General Manager of Paarl Post) will take up the position of Managing Director for the newly formed Paarl Print facility (on the site of Paarl Web) from September this year. Mike Ehret, currently Managing Director of Paarl Print, will be embarking on an executive management programme at Wits University at the end of July. On his return Mike will take up the position of Group Marketing Director within the Paarl Media Group. “We wish Mike every success in his new position after the tremendous guidance he gave to the staff of Paarl Print during the recent tragedy. “The changes represent the Paarl Media Group’s initiative to keep pricing in the print media industry at an efficient level through synergy, optimisation and geographic positioning without sacrificing the technology, quality and service provided to clients. “Business will continue as usual, while we continue to perfect and improve our services to our clients. ""After deliberations with staff members and the representative unions continue an agreement was reached on Wednesday that 200 of the 360 employees will retain their jobs after 17 July.
All individuals taking up positions in the new structure will receive their normal remuneration, inclusive of benefits, and be accommodated inside the Paarl Media Group until such time that the equipment for the re-established Paarl Print arrives.
The first equipment is expected to arrive in August/September. This equipment will comprise of printing presses with the bulk of the equipment for pre-press and post press arriving in the first quarter of 2010, meaning that Paarl Print should be re-established on the site of Paarl Web by April/May 2010.
A new web-offset printing plant is also planned in Kwazulu-Natal.
* Richard van der Westhuizen, a senior manager at Media 24 newspapers, has been appointed manager of the Boland newspaper group, which includes Paarl Post. He will be based in Paarl and will also manage Paarl Post newspaper.
More
News
|
