Labour unions have picketed Global Plus Publishing Company (GPP) over the alleged dismissal of 75 workers, accusing the organisation of violating labour laws and victimising employees for union membership.
The protest, led by 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), took place on Tuesday. Demonstrators locked the company’s premises and displayed placards calling for intervention, including from Christ Embassy pastor, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.
According to the unions, the affected employees received dismissal notices at midnight via personal emails, with the company citing redundancy as the basis for termination.
Union leaders, however, argued that the process failed to comply with Section 20 of the Labour Act, which stipulates that employers must inform workers’ representatives of the reasons for redundancy, apply the “last-in, first-out” principle subject to merit and skill, and negotiate redundancy benefits where applicable.
The Chairman of PPAPPPAPSSAN at Global Plus Publishing, Mr. Odoba Benjamin, stated that the dismissals followed tensions between workers and management after employees initiated unionisation efforts in August 2025.
The unions maintained that the redundancy claim was merely a pretext to target workers for their union affiliation, describing the action as a violation of workers’ rights.
They also cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees freedom of association, including the right to join trade unions.
According to the unions, approximately 40 of the affected workers are members of NUPPPROW, affiliated with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), while others belong to PPAPPPAPSSAN, affiliated with the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Further concerns were raised regarding the compensation provided to the dismissed workers, which the unions described as inadequate. Some employees reportedly received less than ₦200,000 under what the company termed a “Long Service Award”, while longer-serving staff received comparatively higher sums.
The unions are demanding the immediate reinstatement of the affected workers and have called on the NLC, TUC, and other labour stakeholders to intervene.
They warned that picketing and other forms of industrial action would continue until their demands are met, cautioning that failure to resolve the dispute could set a precedent for similar employer practices.
As of the time of filing this report, Global Plus Publishing Company had not issued an official response to the allegations.
