Journalists at new publication on job action

via Journalists at new publication on job action – The Zimbabwean 23 March 2015

As problems bedeviling Zimbabwe’s print media continue, workers at the new publication, The Flame Newspaper, today embarked on a job action and have threatened to down tools in protest against non-payment of their salaries.

The weekly publication, which started operations in mid-January, has not paid its workers since then and frustration is high among journalists who today walked out of the newsroom in a move meant to send a warning to management.

“The management has been giving us one excuse after another and today, we decided that we should move out of the newsroom so that they see we are frustrated. Last week, they told us that we were going to get our salaries on Monday but that was not the case.

“They later on said we would get our money today, but there is nothing positive and we have decided that industrial action is the only way to go,” said a reporter on condition of anonymity.

The publication has a total of six reporters and six desk editors. Former NewsDay Editor, Brian Mangwende was recently appointed as the Editor-In-Chief.

The Flame Newspaper Chief Executive Officer, Geoffrey Chaparadza was not reachable for comment. He is, however, on record telling his staff that the company would honor its obligations. Workers at the publication are, however, skeptical about the survival of the paper.

“The future is very much uncertain because there is not even proper furniture and they cannot even provide internet and airtime for calls and we just wonder how the paper will survive,” said a source.

The source said that jourmalists were contemplating boycotting writing stories for the paper’s next edition. This month, The Zimbabwe Mail, owned by Transport Minister, Obert Mpofu closed down due to financial problems.

Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) which publishes The Zimbabwe Independent, NewsDay and The Standard is also facing financial troubles and has already relocated from the city centre, in a move meant to cut operational costs.

On the other hand, Zimpapers – the government-owned newspaper group, has embarked on a retrenchment exercise that will see hundreds of workers retrenched.