The National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has faulted the payment structure of the Federal Government through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System. The NUJ said it is very defective and needs to be reviewed to ensure proper payment of union dues.
After a meeting with the chapel leaders of Federal Government-owned media houses as well as some state councils of the NUJ in Abuja on thursday, the union observed that NUJ members are being deliberately shortchanged of their dues, after the deductions by IPPIS.
In a statement issued by the National Secretary of the union, Shu’aibu Usman Leman, the NUJ lamented that check-off dues of its members, are being deducted and paid into unknown accounts, while calling on its chapel leaders to be proactive and stamp their authority in the collection of the check-off dues and other union issues.
Threatening to invite the attention of anti-graft agencies into the matter, the NUJ warned that all the deductions, which have been allegedly diverted by IPPIS, must be refunded immediately, else it would be compelled to take legal actions.
The statement said: “There is a perceived connivance between the IPPIS and some individuals to defraud NUJ of all check off dues deductions since the inception of the payment regime.
“If such monies are not refunded forthwith, the union will be compelled to invite the EFCC an ICPC to wade into the matter.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos and Federal Capital Territory councils of the NUJ have concluded plans to picket Daar Communications, owners of AIT and Raypower stations, over 15-months unpaid salaries of workers.
Disclosing this after an emergency meeting with the National Secretariat of the NUJ in Abuja on Thursday, the two councils resolved to go ahead with the industrial action, following the inability of the management of the media house to pay all the outstanding salaries as agreed at a meeting between both NUJ and management of Daar Communications in Abuja.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairmen of Lagos and FCT Councils of the NUJ, Comrades Deji Elumoye and Chuks Ehirim respectively, both councils stated that it has become imperative to picket the organisation in order to safeguard the welfare of NUJ members while also protecting journalism profession.
“The Councils wondered why a foremost and viable media organisation like Daar Communication should be owing workers as much as 15 months arrears of salaries without a regard to the condition of service of the working journalists in the establishment,” the statement said.
“With the non-challant attitude of the management of Daar as represented by the outcome of a meeting held recently with workers in Alagbado, Lagos office, the councils are left with no other option than to embark on the industrial action.”
According to the NUJ chairmen, the industrial action will hold simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt offices of Daar Communication beginning from August,while logistics for the successful picketing exercise are currently being worked out
“At the level we are now, NUJ is fully mobilised for the industrial action which will be carried out to the letter,” the statement added.
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