Hundreds of SABC staff are expected to down tools during lunchtime on Wednesday over a wage dispute.

While the Media Workers Association of SA earlier said it was expecting all of its 600 workers to take part, it is understood scores more disgruntled employees will turn out.

The Communication Workers' Union also said it expected hundreds to join. While the third labour union, the Broadcast, Electronic, Media and Allied Workers' Union said it would act in solidarity with the other unions.

The public broadcaster had been dogged by controversy over several months due to what the unions said was the misuse of millions of rand.

According to reports, the SABC needed more than R1-billion to rescue itself from its financial woes.

In a move to alleviate the crisis, the corporation had cut the salaries of several employees and restructured the rates of several news and current affairs presenters.

In an attempt to woo disgruntled employees, the unions on Tuesday posted notices at the entrances to the radio and TV centres, to attract a good showing for the picket.

But, it remained to be seen whether the SABC's freelance staff would participate, as some feared not having their contracts renewed or not being scheduled for news and other programming.

The unions went to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and

Arbitration when the SABC revised a 12.2 percent multi-term pay offer it was supposed to have implemented in April, to 8.5 percent.

The Labour Court in Johannesburg dismissed a bid by the SABC last week to stop its workers from striking.

To further exacerbate the situation, the unions warned that if the SABC did not budge even after Wednesday's action, they would stay away completely starting 13 July.