Daily Independent Board, ready to talk NUJ assures protesting workers

Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos

October 12, 2015 – Members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) today picketed the premises of Independent Nigeria Limited(INL) publishers of Daily Independent Newspapers at Wempco Road, Lagos, protesting failure of management to pay 23 month salary arrears, failure to remit pension contribution, cooperative contribution and taxes.

The protest mark the beginning of daily picketing of the newspaper until management is able to sit down with NUJ and discuss the way forward.

They stormed the premises of the newspaper which has been under lock and key following protests by journalists and members of the National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW).

T

he protesting workers armed themselves with posters of various sizes where they inscribed all their grievances. Among them is “Ted Iwere must go; Release over N4 million staff contribution; Pay our 23 months salary arrears; Ted is cancer in Daily Independent; Abiola must go”, among others.

Addressing the workers, President NUJ, Mr. Abdulwaheed Odusile itemized demands of the worker, namely exit of Managing Director, Mr. Ted Iwere payment of all 23 months salary arrears, payment of contributory pension as well as cooperative contribution.

He said that that nobody is against success of the newspaper but that they want the newspaper to work since it will be in the interest of the journalists and other workers.

He said that failure of management to remit money for the contributory pension and taxes are all economic crime which he said the necessary government agencies will take care off.

He said that the good thing is that members of the board have been making frantic calls to NUJ indicating their willingness to talk and sought out things.

He told the workers that they have told them that they will talk with another representative and not Mr, Ted Iwere
He said he will prevail on workers in the printing press at Abuja and Asaba to stop work to force management to discuss ways out of the woods.

Also speaking, Zonal Secretary, NUPPPPROW, Mr. Peter Okeowo assured the workers that they have nothing to fear so long as they are agitating for their wages, adding that what they are doing is in line with the scriptures which says that the worker deserves his wages.

He said that the association is with them throughout the duration of the struggle.