Non-payment of journalists’ salaries must be legal offence — NLC president
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The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has referred to as for higher pay, insurance coverage cowl and pension for journalists throughout the nation.
Ajaero made the decision when he visited the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Dr Chris Isiguzo in Abuja.
He defined that whereas journalists performed vital roles within the battle for independence and the present democracy Nigerians are having fun with, it’s unlucky identical persons are begging for his or her salaries to be paid.
The labour chief mentioned that journalism is getting worse by the day, although expertise has enhanced the follow.
“The welfare of journalists is being underplayed. While journalists are a bunch of pros preventing for everybody, no one is for them, they don’t seem to be even for themselves.
“Journalists don’t have weekends, public holidays or festive season. They work and report the actions of people who find themselves having fun with weekends, public holidays and festivities.
“Even when a journalist is sacked or not paid for one year, other journalists will not write a story on such injustice,” Ajaero mentioned.
He added, “I’m advocating for a consultative equipment that we must always maintain each two years, to have a negotiation with all media employers within the county to repair minimal wage for journalists.
“Also, there should be a pension that all journalists should enjoy after retiring from the job. Insurance cover is another thing that journalists should enjoy to make them work better.”
The labour chief pressured that non-payment of journalists’ salaries shouldn’t be inspired and must be handled as “a criminal offence.”
Ajaero acknowledged that, although it has not been straightforward for publishers, he mentioned that ought to not warrant them to not do the needful for his or her staff, notably cost of their salaries
“Most reporters spend their little salaries on transportation to do their job. This is unacceptable.
“We are within the period of social and on-line media. There can be the necessity to regulate on-line media practices.
“It should be regulated in such a way that they will be part of NUJ. You need to accommodate them and know what they are doing,” Ajaero mentioned.
On his half, Isiguzo mentioned NUJ is doing so much to deal with abnormalities within the nation’s journalism follow.
“We are presently wanting on the Code of Ethics to return out with a evaluation that may also stipulate the duties and obligations of employers to media staff.
“Again, our check-off dues don’t come to the NUJ. Where it goes, we don’t know. That is one key issue that needs to be addressed,” Isiguzo mentioned.
(NAN)
