From Adia Jildo, in Juba
The Union of Journalists of South Sudan has threatened to sue media house if suspended journalists working for the City Review Newspaper and the Al-Hagiga Arabic newspaper were not reinstated.
10 national journalists were suspended without preconditions after they had demanded for a rise in payment on grounds that they were underpaid relative to foreign staff who were paid much higher compared to the national staff.
The Secretary General for the Union of Journalists of South Sudan, Majak Daniel Kuany Alier, demanded the national staff to be reinstated with full pay for the period for which they were illegally suspended or face the court, adding that they were illegally suspended without preconditions.
“UJOSS stands ready to take legal action against The City Review and Al Hagiga Newspapers if the aforementioned illegality continues,” Majak told journalists in press briefing.
According to the South Sudan Labour Act, 2017 Sector 8, workers must be equally remunerated for equal work value.
The South Sudan Labour Act, 2017 Sector 96 also provides workers the right to strike and recourse to lockout.
“Subject to the provisions of this chapter, every employee has the right to strike and every employer has the right to lockout action for the purposes of seeking to resolve a dispute employer has the right to Lockout action for the purposes of seeking to resolve a dispute regarding any matter of mutual interest to which an employee or employer is a party,” cited Majak.
The suspended journalists have continued with the industrial action despite the expiration of the 30 day period till their grievances amd demands were addressed.
However, the suspended national staff working for the City Review and Al Hagiga Arabic Newspaper were told to present their grievances and a legal document that gave them the right to demand salary increment to the management of Rak Media.
“After returning to the office on August 29, 2024, as stated in the suspension letter, the management of Rak Media informed us (journalists) to meet the company lawyer to present legal documents that gave us the right to demand salary increments,” said the letter by the suspended national staff of Al-Hagiga and the City Review Newspaper.
