The three days strike started at the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum issued by the agency’s three unions – Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Almagamated Union of Civil Service Public Coporation, Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUCPTRE) and Radio Television, Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) – to the management of the agency to press home the demands. “Payment of DTA and hotel allowances to staff that left their base to write the 2018 Promotion Examination in Lagos and Abuja and payment of repatriation allowances of foreign correspondents.”The agency’s staff had threatened to go on strike last September over the negligence of their welfare by the management. The union issued a 21-day strike over NAN’s refusal to sign the draft Conditions of Service for the agency, full payment of transfer allowance to 20 members of staff and rejection of the uniform editorial promotion examination for Level 8 to Level 16. The Managing Director of NAN, Bayo Onanuga, while reacting to the union demands in 2016 said Nigerian government was doing a lot of favour to NAN by paying salaries of staff and he will only work with competent writers who can stand on their own anywhere in the world. Just think of the consequences of having toxic journalists in the newsroom.’’

Source: The Guardian July 26, 2018 16:30 UTC