The Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union have urged owners of media houses to desist from owing journalists their wages.
The media unions told the News Agency of Nigeria in separate interviews in Abuja on Sunday that the welfare of journalists was paramount to them.
According to Paul Ella, the Chairman of the FCT Council of the NUJ, some media houses have been owing their workers deliberately.
Ella said if they refused to pay, the union would be forced to picket such organisations.
He said: “Let me use this opportunity to pass a message to media house owners that deliberately owe the salaries of journalists working with them.
“I want to urge them to see that they begin to pay journalists their earnings because depriving them is what breeds corruption and corruption is what this government is fighting against.
“If the government is fighting corruption, the way they can be part of the campaign is to ensure that those journalists working for them are being paid.
“If they are not paid, how do they expect them to pay their bills?
“So, I am using today, Workers’ Day, to send a message to all media house owners to look into the welfare of journalists working with them.”
Ella said the union would be left with no other option than to picket the organisations if they refused to heed their plea and pay their members.
According to him, the union is working hard to ensure that the salaries of journalists are enhanced.
On his part, the RATTAWU National President, Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose, said workers’ expectation generally was to have their salaries paid when due.
While commending the Federal Government for living up to this expectation, Bamgbose, however, expressed regret that state governments were still owing workers arrears of salaries.
He said: “The expectation of every workers is for his salary to be paid as at when due; that is the greatest expectation and also to be working in an environment that is conducive enough to work; these are majorly the basic expectations of a worker.
“I think all these expectations are being met, especially at the federal level; but at the state level, the expectations are not met because many states are owing and workers are languishing in poverty.”
Bamgbose said the two media unions were working together to see how media salaries could be upgraded.
He said: “Concerning the Media Salary Scale, the two unions are on it and we just held a meeting on it; we are working hard to draw up an acceptable template for negotiation.
“We hope to come out with a template that will be good enough for negotiation and good enough for our members.”
NAN.
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