Labour unions, yesterday, picketed Global Plus Publishing Company (GPP) over the alleged dismissal of 75 workers, which they said followed the employees’ decision to join trade unions.

The company’s premises were under lock and key, while placards displayed at the scene called for the intervention of Christ Embassy Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome, and alleged that workers were victimised for union membership.

The National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPROW) and the Pulp, Paper and Paper Products, Printing and Publishing Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PPAPPPAPSSAN) said the affected workers received dismissal notices at midnight, with the company citing redundancy.

Chairman of PPAPPPAPSSAN on GPP, Odoba Benjamin, said the action followed what he described as the disappointing handling of the matter by the company’s management, led by Managing Director, Sade Imoagene. He stated that notices were sent through personal emails.

The unions, however, maintained that the action did not meet the requirements of Section 20 of the Labour Act, which stipulates that employers must inform workers’ representatives of the reasons for redundancy, apply the principle of “last-in, first-out” subject to merit, skill and reliability, and negotiate redundancy benefits where applicable.

They also argued that the redundancy claim was used as a pretext, stating that the dispute followed the workers’ decision to join the unions in August 2025, an action they said was resisted by the company’s management and culminated in the terminations.

According to the unions, affected workers received what they described as inadequate payments under a “Long Service Award,” with some reportedly paid less than N200,000, while longer-serving employees received higher sums.

The unions further cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees the right to freedom of association, including the right of workers to join trade unions.

They added that about 40 of the dismissed workers were members of NUPPPROW, affiliated with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), while others belong to PPAPPPAPSSAN, affiliated with the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

The unions demanded the reinstatement of the affected workers and called on labour centres, including the NLC and TUC, to intervene and support the workers.

They stated that the picketing and other forms of protest would continue until their demands are met, warning that failure to address the situation could encourage similar actions by other employers.

Efforts to obtain a response from the management of Global Plus Publishing Company were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. (The Guardian, but headline rejigged)