PFUJ condemns large-scale retrenchment of DawnNews employees

29/01/2010

PFUJ condemns large-scale retrenchment of DawnNews employees

            ISLAMABAD, Jan 29: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has expressed grave concern and dismay over large-scale removal of more than 45 employees from their services in the DawnNews at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad and termed  it  arbitrary, mala fide and without lawful authority.

        Taking strong exception to this arbitrary action of the DawnNews channel management, the PFUJ said that "the way about 50 employees of the channel have summarily been removed from the service without any cogent reasons clearly indicates that "there is no rule of law" in media organisations, and that there is also no job security to employees.

        "It is pity that such media channels and its owners who round-the-clock give sermons of human rights, exposing those agencies in the government and private sectors who violate laws, were themselves depriving people of their basic rights and there was no job security for their own employees, and they are summarily removed from service.

        The highheadiness of media owners can be judged from the fact that a majority of the employees      removed from the services were working in various organisations for years together. But such employees were lured for better jobs and commitments were made with them that they would be given job security besides attractive packages.

        "The employees worked with zeal and enthusiasm and hard labour round-the-clock and successfully aired such channels, thereafter they were made victim of "so-called financial constrains" and subsequently, removed from services," the PFUJ added.

        "Such practice is in vague in DAWN-News and other channels and during the last 180 days over 500 employees have summarily been removed from service, indicating the cruelty and malafide intentions of media owners," the PFUJ argued.

        The PFUJ pointed out that when media owners apply for acquiring licenses for launching transmission of their channels, they make tall claims about their extra-ordinary excellent financial health. However, after making ground in the market and when they start fetching profit, such owners with the lust of wealth resort to restructuring of the organizations ultimately terminating the employees.

        The PFUJ said that it is the duty of the PEMRA to stake stock of such uncalled for and arbitrary acts of media owners and appropriate steps be taken for restraining the media owners from terminating their employees.

        Why PEMRA is keeping a mum and why it never comes to the rescue of the "removed employees." It is the duty of the PEMRA to oversee and monitor that media organizations are running their channels as per terms and conditions and as per undertakings given by them that they have ample financial resources to run the channel, but after making them on air why they resort retrenchments," the PFUJ questioned.

        The PFUJ directed all its affiliated unions of journalists and media persons to express sympathies and support with the "removed employees of the DawnNews" to condemn such acts, and stage protest rallies.

        The PFUJ also demanded of the government to take stock of the situation and ensure implementation of the labour laws in the media organisation which has become a "no-go area” for law and there prevails a law of the jungle.

        The PFUJ also urged international media, and human rights organisations to condemn the arbitrary acts of removal of media persons from the DawnNews channel.      

        It, however, recalled that earlier the Dawn News management had removed 75 employees a year ago when PFUJ was in its biennial delegates meeting in Faisalabad last year. And now once again they have chosen an occasion when all unions of journalists throughout the country are busy in their organizational matters.

They have always stabbed the employees in the back when their trade unions extraordinarily remain busy in their organizational setups. PFUJ added.

 
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.shamsulislamnaz.com
http://www.pfuj.pk