Except the publisher of ThisDay Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena pays
journalists working in his company by 2.00pm on Friday, September 4,
2015, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) will disrupt the 20th
anniversary celebration of the organization, scheduled to hold on
Saturday, September 5, at the Eko Hotels and Towers, Victoria Island,
Lagos.
The National President of the NUJ, Alhaji Waheed Odusile, made this
vow via a letter sent to Obaigbena on Wednesday, assuring that the
exercise will take place with the full backing of the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Odusile, who was particularly pained that Obaigbenna has reneged on
his promise after personally assuring him of payment, said there is no
going back on the disruption of the company’s 20th anniversary
celebration program, except the flamboyant publisher pays his workers
by 2.00 pm on Friday.
The letter reads:
Chairman/Publisher,
THISDAY Newspapers
OUTSTANDING SALARIES OF WORKERS (NUJ MEMBERS)
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.
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.
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.