NUJ Declares Trade Dispute with Champion Newspapers over Salary Arrears

Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has declared industrial dispute with the management of Champion Newspapers over the non-payment of more than 24 months salary owed its members .

In its notification letter to the Minister of Labour and Productivity, the Council listed some of its grievances against The Champion management to include, non-payment of over two years salary arrears; non- refund of NSITF deductions to members; unremitted cooperative society funds , non remittance of tax deductions to appropriate quarters as well as re-instatement of final entitlement benefits of workers stopped in December, 2005 among other deductions.

In a press statement, signed by the Chairman of the Council, Comrade Deji Elumoye and the Secretary, Comrade Sylva Okereke, the Council said the industrial dispute has become expedient as several attempts made to ensure the payment of all the workers’ entitlements in the past proved abortive.

‘We decided to take this industrial action as several decisions taken to reach agreement with the management of Champion did not yield any result. We held several meetings with the management and several promises were made but to no avail’, the statement added.

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It also disclosed that some other steps taken by the council in this regard include, ultimatum given on the issues in contention as well several attempts made to meet with the publisher of The Champion Newspapers and a member of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

Lagos NUJ noted that the industrial action filed before the Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity on April 1, 2014 was in accordance with Section 4 of Trade Disputes Act, CAP 432 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 and in its subsequent amendment, Trade Disputes (Amendment) Decree No. 47 of 1992.