Delayed salary: NUJ threatens to disrupt ThisDay 20th anniversary
http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Protesting-ThisDay-journalists-when-they-down-tools-last-July-over-non-payment-of-salaries..jpgNIGERIA: THE umbrella body of journalists in Nigeria has issued a stern warning to the Publisher of ThisDay Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said that it has handed three-day ultimatum, which expires on Friday, September 4, by 2pm, to Obaigbena to pay its members in ThisDay, failure of which the 20th anniversary of the media organisation would be disrupted.
The anniversary is scheduled to hold on Saturday at the Eko Hotels and Towers, Victoria Island in Lagos.
The union’s warning was contained in a letter signed by its newly elected National President, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Odusile.
“Recall our meeting at your residence in Lagos on Monday August 24, 2015 on the above subject matter and your promise to pay two months out of the arrears being owed the senior staff and to pay the junior staff up to the end of August 2015 before the 20th anniversary of THISDAY coming up on September 5,” the union said Wednesday in the letter entitled “Outstanding salaries of workers (NUJ members).”
The NUJ reminded the Publisher: “You also promised to pay the rest in installment of two months per tranche, with a firm commitment to offset all outstanding salary arrears on or before December 31st, 2015, including verified check-off deductions due to the NUJ.
“Information reaching us indicates that up till this moment (3.45 pm) on Wednesday, September 2, 2015, nobody has been paid in spite of your promise and preparations are on to hold the 20th anniversary celebration.”
The union told Obaigbena that it was fully prepared to mobilize the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to assist in the disruption of the two decades anniversary of the establishment of the media house.
It said: “Please be informed that if by 2 pm on Friday September 4, 2015, the salary arrears were not paid as promised and confirmed by our members, the NUJ will mobilize the entire Labour (NLC and TUC) to disrupt the anniversary celebration wherever you decide to hold it.
“This is neither a threat nor a boast, but we will no longer allow you to toy with the lives of our members again.”
“We wish you and THISDAY well. Regards,” the NUJ said.
It would be recalled that last July, NUJ, peeved by the plight of its members over non-payment of salaries for several months, threatened to picket ThisDay and AIT, among other media houses owing journalists, without notice.
The ThisDay workers, who embarked on strike then to demand their monthly pay, got the backing on their union in a press statement issued in Abuja by its National Secretary, Shuaib Usman Leman.
The union said that besides throwing its weight behind the journalists in AIT and ThisDay, it would embark on further action which includes, but not limited to, the closure of the offices of the media organisations in all parts of the country.
The NUJ expressed displeasure particularly with the management of ThisDay for reneging on its prior promise to pay at least one month at that time.
The union, therefore, said that it would take all necessary legal measures to uphold the rights of member-journalists in ThisDay, if all the debts were not paid as promised by the management.
The union also urged other media houses – Newswatch Times, National Mirror and AIT – that were still indebted to its memebrs to pay failure of which it would show it anger.
