Champion Newspaper workers to Iwuanywnwu, pay us our 15 months salary arreas

(Nigeria) Nigerian Journalists, Monday, began a three-day picketing of Champion Newspapers, Isolo, Lagos,  over arrears of salaries.

Operating under the aegis of National Union of Journalists, NUJ, the journalists, with placards of different inscription, blocked the main gate of the media house, after workers were asked to vacate the premises. It will be recalled that the national body of NUJ, had recently issued an ultimatum to media owners in Nigeria, who were in the habit of owing workers to pay up or face the wrath of the union.

Journalists, who spoke to innosreport at the on-going picketing of Champion Newspapers, expressed regrets that there were no laws to hold media owners accountable and make them take the welfare of their workers more seriously.

A union official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said “Champion Management is owing workers, between 12 and 17 months, depending on the level. For junior staff, they are owed 12 months, while middle level management are owed. But for the middle level and senior workers, most of them are owed 17 months.

“We are being told each time by management to be patient. But we decided not to take it anymore. When last two weeks, the management announced that they were closing the company to do some restructuring, as they claimed to be expecting some money, but before the closure, staff were given N10,000 each across board, you can imagine that is to a worker that is being owed 12 months or more, depending the level.

“But strangely, we started seeing Champion Newspapers on the newsstand, without management communicating to us that production has started. On inquiry, we discovered that while they paid staff N10,000 each to stay at home, some were recalled via test messages and asked to resume. This to us was against the spirit of understanding we had shown. So, we concluded that if they have money to resume production, then the one they promised to pay salary with, which was why they took time out would have been ready.

“When we contacted management, it was the same old story and promises, I guess, this may have forced the national body to intervene with the current picketing of the media house. It is unfortunate that media owners treat Nigeria journalists with contempt. Some of them tried owning media house outside Nigeria. They closed business as soon as they open same, because the system there does not allow you to abuse labour and get away with it.

“Until we have laws that protect journalists wellbeing, this fraud against Nigerian journalists will not stop. The truth is that because of the no-job situation, a lot of people are even ready to resume work when you stop, that is why some of us are still in Champion. But we know that God will answer us.”