THE National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJM) as the sole authority responsible for negotiating salaries and employment terms for journalists in Malaysia has asserted that the issue of salary arrears is a serious violation of workers’ rights.
In this regard, NUJ is ready to play the role of intermediary in the issue of salary arrears for journalists from The Malaysian Insight (TMI), The Vibes and GETARAN to ensure that the rights of the journalists involved are upheld and that all salary arrears are settled promptly.
“These journalists have worked with great dedication, yet they still haven’t received the payments they are owed,” NUJM president Farah Marshita Abdul Patah pointed out in a media statement.
“We call on the Petra Group to promptly settle all salary arrears and fulfill their responsibilities to the involved journalists. Justice for media workers must be upheld and no form of neglect can be accepted.”
More broadly, Farah who is a Berita Harian journalist herself contended that NUJ is committed to protecting the rights of journalists in Malaysia and ensuring that they receive fair compensation for their hard work.
“We want to emphasise the importance of establishing unions in every media company,” she stressed. “The existence of a union not only protects workers’ rights but also ensures that media workers’ salaries in the country remain progressive in line with developmental trends.”
Yesterday (Oct 2), the NUJM and the Gerakan Media Merdeka (GERAMM) said they firmly stood in solidarity with a group of journalists from The Vibes and TMI who are facing the challenge of demanding several months of unpaid wages from their employer. – Oct 2, 2024
