NUJ to sue newspaper houses over unpaid salaries

By The Citizen

The Chairman, Lagos Council, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Deji Elumoye, on Friday called for adequate funding to improve the lives of journalists.

Elumoye said that such a measure would encourage productivity.

He also called on media owners to remit check-off dues appropriately to the union, to ensure improved life style.

According to him, the union plans to sue the management of a newspaper organisation over alleged unpaid salaries, to demonstrate NUJ's commitment to the welfare of its members.

The chairman alleged that the organisation reneged on its promise to pay up the salaries in spite of a warning strike and picketing of the medium.

He said that the organisation had an antecedent of paying about three months salaries every year which it was not willing to stop, adding that it paid only one month salary since the struggle began.

'The union carried out picketing of the organisation over unpaid salaries from May 27 to 30, and it promised to pay up.

'The union would not have a choice but to go to industrial court as the management has reneged on its agreement and was not willing to make a change.

'We are not waiting for them to take any other action because from the look of things, the management is not ready to do anything positive as regards payment of outstanding salaries of our members and we want to take our destiny in our hands,'' he explained.

Elumoye said that the union had consulted its lawyers and was waiting for the National Executive Council before taking a final decision.