Federation of Nepali Journalists Announces Lockdown of Nagarik Daily

The central leadership of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) is set to lock down Nepal Republic Media, the publisher of Nagarik Daily, on behalf of victimized journalists. A meeting of stakeholders held at the Federation on Friday decided that since five consecutive days of sit-in protests yielded no response, there is now no alternative but to lock down the office.

Journalists and employees, who have dedicated their energy, labor, and skills for nearly 17 years since the organization's inception, have been protesting after being deprived of the minimum wage and benefits mandated by the Labor Act 2074, Labor Rules 2075, and the Working Journalists Act.

Despite continuous peaceful sit-ins, the owners and the editor of the newspaper showed no interest in resolving the issues. Consequently, the central leadership of the Federation called a stakeholder meeting to announce more rigorous protest programs. 

Raghunath Lamichhane, President of the FNJ Nagarik Chapter and a participant in the meeting, stated that if the company continues to ignore the problems of journalists and employees, further powerful programs will be announced, and they will not back down under any circumstances.

The organization has not only failed to pay the government-mandated minimum wage but has also slashed salaries by 50 to 75 percent for about 43 months using COVID-19 as an excuse. This comes despite the fact that the government provided 190 million rupees at a mere 1 percent interest specifically to pay employees and journalists during the pandemic. Victims are outraged that the money was spent for the company's own benefit instead of being distributed to the staff.

During the stakeholder meeting at the Federation office, Saroja Dahal, Vice President of the Nepal Press Union, suggested that the owners of the publication should be charged with fraud for investing money meant for employees elsewhere. 

Similarly, Bishnu Taruke, Secretary of Nepal Press Chautari, suggested giving an ultimatum with a specific deadline for a solution, noting there is no alternative but to escalate the movement if it is not met.

Journalists and employees working at the daily report that salaries are not paid regularly, and when they are, deductions are made under various pretexts. They further claim they have been denied legal benefits such as festival allowances, medical expenses, social security, and gratuity. It is also alleged that the owners have used Provident Fund money for their personal luxury.

Furthermore, speakers at the program stated that since Nepal Republic Media, a public company, has mocked the rule of law by failing to implement decisions made by the Labor and Employment Office and the Labor Court, there is no choice but to seek justice through protest.

Employees of Nagarik also shared that the owners claim to be above the state and its laws, asserting that no one can touch them. They further alleged that Editor Gunaraj Luitel has been inciting the management to ignore court orders, claiming he can handle any problems the company might face.

Representatives of various organizations warned the company owners against such actions, calling it a legally and morally inexcusable crime for a registered public company to ignore the reality that it reached its current status through the sweat and hard work of its laborers. 

They condemned acts such as withholding salaries, creating pressure, transferring staff, threatening them to quit, and blocking the publication of news.