A copy of City Review Newspaper publication dated June 29, 2024 - Credit: Lou Nelson/ Eye Radio

At least 8 journalists working for the City Review and Al-Hagiga newspapers have been terminated after a one-month suspension following their protest demanding pay rise.

The reporters including six men and four women had reported receiving the suspension notice upon arriving at work in July 31, 2024, days after laying down their tools over low pay and alleged discrimination by the management.

The journalists started protesting on July 24, 2024, to push the management of RAK MEDIA to listen to their grievances.

The media employees said they notified the management in writing to increase their salaries and wages but received what they term a “bucket of intimidation”.

They then ceased submitting stories to pressure the management to address their grievances.

According to them, the highest-paid national staff receives less than 100 USD, while their foreign colleagues in the editorial department earn not less than USD 2,500 and above including free accommodation, transport, air tickets, airtime, and food, among others.

The management of the newspapers denied the allegations, and contended that the staff demand for pay rise is unsustainable due to the current economic situation.

However on Wednesday, when the journalists reported to work after the end of their one-month suspension, they were served with termination letters over alleged redundancy.

One of the dismissed journalists who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, said after their suspension which ended 29^th August, they expected a negotiation meeting with the management before commencing their duties.

But he said, upon arrival, they were called one by one and served with the termination of their contracts, in what the letter described as “redundancy of their positions”.

“We reported back to the office, hoping that we will be called by the management for negotiation based on our call for pay rise,” he said.

“But to our surprise, we were called one after the other and we served with the termination letters. Fortunately none of us signed the letter, instead we chose to report to UJoSS for legal intervention.”

When contacted for clarification, the management of City Review confirmed the termination to Eye Radio saying there have been redundancy because the company cannot afford to operate effectively following the country’s economic melt-down that the company is operating under.

“I think redundancy is done because the company cannot manage to pay that price. Because of the economic condition the company cannot manage to carter for all that cost, so we have to reduce some staff to be able to keep running.”

Out of 10 staff earlier suspended, 8 confirmed being served with the termination letter, as one gets reinstated and the other still attending to family issues.

The letter states that those terminated are entitled to salary up to 3^rd September 2024, accumulated leave balances if any, one month pay in lieu of notice, gratuity, NSIF and any other savings as at 3^rd September 2024.