Publisher, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena, has ordered the termination of the appointments of the 13 staff of the company who dare to ask him, through an ultimatum, to pay their outstanding salaries, running into 12 months.
It was learnt that Obaigbena, in a text message to a management staff in the Administration Department, Israel Iwuegbu, on Wednesday, ordered all the staff sacked.
Those who signed the memo and are facing the sack, are Tobi Soniyi, Olawale Ajimotokan, Patrick Ugeh, Senator Iroegbu, James Emejo, Omololu Ogunmade, Paul Obi, Ndubusi Francis, Dele Ogbodo, Damilola Oyedele, Chineme Okafor, Godwin Omoigui and Onyebuchi Ezigbo. They are all in the Abuja office of the company.
It was learnt that junior staff in the Abuja office are being owed seven months, while the senior staff are waiting to be paid for 12 months.
On June 7, the affected staffers, had, in a memo, gave Obaigbena uptol June 10 to pay the outstanding salaries of between seven and 12 months or face industrial action.
They threatened to embark on an initial strike from June 12 to 19 before declaring a total strike.
The affected staffers all belong to the Editorial Department.
In the memo by the Editorial Staff of the Abuja station, they said a warning strike of one week between June 12 and 19 will precede a total strike action if the management fails to pay them.
The memo, obtained by The Eagle Online, reads in full:
From: Editorial Staff, Abuja Office
Through: Editor, Nation’s Capital
To: The Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, THISDAY Newspapers
Subject: Notice of Warning Strike
Date: June 7, 2016
Dear Chairman,
Having borne the brunt of Management’s non-payment of our salaries —- running into several months, we, the undersigned Editorial Staff of THISDAY Abuja, have come to the painful decision to declare a warning strike.
Should the management fails to pay us by Friday, June 10, 2016, we will have no option than to embark on a one-week warning strike from Sunday June 12, 2016 until June 19, 2016.
Please, note that an indefinite strike will ensue at the expiration of the warning strike.
By this letter, we are putting the management on notice that effective Sunday June 12, 2016, we will cease to send stories to all THISDAY titles until our salary arrears are defrayed. In this case, we will supply stories to all the titles from now until Saturday June 11, 2016.
For several years, we have sacrificed everything- emotionally, physically and materially to ensure the continued survival of THISDAY but regrettably, the organisation has demonstrated an abysmal disregard for these gestures.
We need not state the obvious that virtually all of us here can no longer meet our obligations both to our families and other responsibilities.
Thanking you for your urgent response.
Signed:
1. Tobi Soniyi
2. Olawale Ajimotokan
3. Patrick Ugeh
4. Senator Iroegbu
5. James Emejo
6. Omololu Ogunmade
7. Paul Obi
8. Ndubusi Francis
9. Dele Ogbodo
10. Damilola Oyedele
11. Chineme Okafor
12. Godwin Omoigui
13. Onyebuchi Ezigbo
Cc: MD, DMD, GED (Finance), GED (Admin), GED (Abuja), Editor/GED, Editor (Sunday), Editor (Saturday), Editor, Nation’s Capital and Deputy Editors. [myad]
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