PFUJ regrets Media owners poor response for payments of workers salary before Eid

PFUJ regrets Media owners poor response for payments of workers salary before Eid.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has expressed concern over poor response from media owners on PFUJ’s request for payment of salaries and other legitimate dues to media workers before the Eid-ul-Fitr.

“Some newspapers owners are even so callous that they have not paid salaries to their workers for months together what to speak of advance salary payment on the eve of Eid, the PFUJ pointed out.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, the PFUJ said once again true face of media owners had been exposed.

Although they claim to be the champions of rule of law, independence of judiciary, protectors of human rights, fundamental rights, civil liberaties, rights of people, etc, they were reluctant to make lawful payments and other dues to their respective workers, the PFUJ said.

Quoting miserable conditions at the Khabrain, which claims itself to be a leading media group, the PFUJ contended that its workers were not even paid salaries for the months of November and December 2008; as well as from June to September, 2009 even on the occasion of Eid in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi / Islamabad, Sukkar, Multan.

Likewise, the employees of the Chantal 5 have reportedly not been paid salaries even for more than 12 months. The workers of the Sindh D.V. Dharti T.V., also complained that they have not been paid salaries for months together.

The PFUJ pointed out that another newly so-called emerging group of the media Aaj Kal, during the last 120 days sacked more than 250 employees against all norms of justice, law, equity, labour laws on the pretext of “financial crunch.”

The massive lay-off of media persons from the electronic media's Dawn News, Business Plus, Indus, News-One, Duynia, ARY, in the past 150 days is also deplorable as over 500 media persons have been removed from their jobs without assigning any reason and justification in the name of artificial “recession.”

All those media owners, who are not paying wages and other fringe benefits to their workers for months together and who had ordered massive dismissal of media persons, claim themselves to be the protector of the rights of people, but there is none in the country to bring them to justice,” the PFUJ regretted.

The PFUJ warned if such one-sided and cruel actions of media owners continued unchecked, media workers would be left with no option, but to resort direct action, and the PFUJ would expose them before the people in Pakistan as well as abroad before all forums.

Shamsul Islam Naz

Secretary General
PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS
12-Nazimuddin Road, F-6/1,
Islamabad, Pakistan.
Phone Office +92(0)51 2870220-1
Facsimile +92(0)51 2870223
Cellular +92(0)300 8665523
http://www.pfuj.pk

http://www.shamsulislamnaz.com