PFUJ warned to resort direct action, if media workers demands were not accepted
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 paidsalaries to their workers for months together what to speak of advancesalary payment on the eve of Eid, the PFUJ pointed out.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, the PFUJ said once again trueface of media owners had been exposed.
Although they claim to be the champions of rule of law, independenceof judiciary, protectors of human rights, fundamental rights, civilliberaties, rights of people, etc, they were reluctant to make lawfulpayments and other dues to their respective workers, the PFUJ said.
Quoting miserable conditions at the Khabrain, which claims itself tobe a leading media group, the PFUJ contended that its workers werenot even paid salaries for the months of November and December 2008;as well as from June to September, 2009 even on the occasion of Eidin Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi / Islamabad, Sukkar, Multan.
Likewise, the employees of the Chanel 5 have reportedly not beenpaid salaries even for more than 12 months, at various stations.
The PFUJ pointed out that another newly so-called emerging group ofthe media Aaj Kal, during the last 120 days sacked more than 250employees against all norms of justice, law, equity, labour laws onthe pretext of “financial crunch.”
The massive lay-off of media persons from the electronic media inthe past six months is also deplorable as over 400 media personshave been removed from their jobs with assigning any reason andjustification in the name of artificial “recession.”
All those media owners, who are not paying wages and other fringebenefits to their workers for months together and who had orderedmassive dismissal of media persons, claim themselves to be theprotector of the rights of people, but there is none in the countryto bring them to justice,” the PFUJ regretted.
The PFUJ warned if such one-sided and cruel actions of media ownerscontinued unchecked, media workers would be left with no option, butto resort direct action, and the PFUJ would expose them before thepeople as well as abroad before all forums.
Secretary General
PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS
