REVIEW DECISION TO CUT 1,000 JOBS, MEDIA PRIMA TOLD
NUJ urges Media Prima to comply with Employment Act in its downsizing move
THE National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ) has urged Media Prima Bhd to review its decision to lay off more than 1,000 employees as part of its downsizing operations.
In condemning the move, NUJ general secretary Chin Sung Chew urged the company to strictly comply with the Employment Act in its efforts to reduce operating costs.
“The National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia expresses its regret and strongly condemns the decision made by Media Prima Bhd, the owner of various media, including the New
Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro, as well as four television channels, to cut more than 1,000 workers.
“NUJ calls on Media Prima to review its strategy,” Chin said in a statement.
He said a Media Prima circular distributed to its employees on Nov 1 had announced plans for a “substantial reduction in its workforce”.
He said the company claimed it had done everything it could to minimise the impact, including to reduce the operational costs and assets.
Media Prima owns the New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro ,as well as television stations TV3, ntv7, 8TV and TV9.
It also has several radio stations, websites and billboard advertising companies.
Chin said based on information provided to him, the job cuts would affect editorial staff across three brands, photographers, advertisement marketing, advertisement support, advertisement sales and the production division, as well as circulation and sales.
“The NUJ-NSTP branch, in its statement, said the termination of employment would be based on the mechanism of ‘last in, first out’ .
“It will be based on several factors, including health and discipline. The number involved in the layoffs will be discussed with the management.
“The company will announce the list of workers who will lose their jobs by the end of next month. The layoffs will involve every department, including staff and management personnel.
“Some units will be downsized and others will be closed. A town hall session with the management will be held on Nov 15.”
Chin said the decision to cut jobs came in the wake of tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary’s enlargement of his stake in Media Prima through Aurora Mulia Sdn Bhd, which reportedly owned a 32 per cent share in Media Prima,
making it the largest individual shareholder.
He said Syed Mokhtar owned
printing permits for Utusan Malaysia, Mingguan Malaysia,
Kosmo! and Malaysian Reserve, adding that with the ownership of Media Prima, he was likely the biggest player in the Malaysian media landscape.
“NUJ Malaysia is much concerned with the dilemma and difficulties faced by media companies during this current economic downturn. But we remind the executive board who manage the media companies or media groups not to tolerate any form of political deception whose idea is to kill off media practitioners, especially reporters, by using restructuring the company as an excuse.
“We do not hope to see any media in the country controlled by politicians.”
The media, Chin said, should be free from political parties, regardless of whether they were part of the ruling government or the opposition.
“The media should be allowed to play its role as the fourth estate, to report without fear or favour.”