NUJ PETITIONS MEDIA MOGUL, NDUKA OBAIGBENA, THREATENS TO DISTRUPT MEGA THISDAY 20TH ANNIVERSARY/AWARDS OVER STAFFS UNPAID SALARY

NUJ PETITIONS MEDIA MOGUL, NDUKA OBAIGBENA, THREATENS TO DISTRUPT MEGA THISDAY 20TH ANNIVERSARY/AWARDS OVER STAFFS UNPAID SALARY

The much talked about 20th anniversary/awards of THISDAY Newspapers scheduled for Saturday September 5, 2015 is under threat of been distrupted by Nigerian Union of Journalist as reported by Dailypost. The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also given the owner of the publication and media guru, Nduka Obaigbena, till before the close of work on Friday September 4, to pay outstanding staff salaries or face its wrath.

Copy of a letter sent to Obaigbena on Tuesday afternoon and obtained by journalists indicated as signed by Mr Abdulwaheed Odusile, NUJ National President, reminded THISDAY publisher of the promise he made at his Lagos residence to clear two months salary arrears of workers who are already finding it hard to survive.

Lamenting the refusal to honour the gentleman truce the two parties reached, the leader of Nigerian journalists said the union would strike in a severe manner. It also gave indication that it would prevail on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to jointly assist the NUJ to frustrate Mr Obaigbenaís event, which holds this weekend.

The letter signed titled “Outstanding salaries of workers (NUJ members)” reads:

Chairman/Publisher,

THISDAY Newspapers

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.