If you are not already aware, a labour dispute has shut The Guardian down and the paper may be out for weeks because the gulf between management and employees is "pretty deep". We understand that the staff is demanding a 50% pay hike; management is offering 20%.  The Nigeria Labour Congress is intervening. 

In light of the situation, Staff of The Guardian, and their readers in Nigeria are encouraged to write in their perspectives about the strike and its implications.  This strike is said to have implications not just for journalism and labour issues in Nigeria, but also for our political and economic circumstances.  

STATEMENT BY THE GUARDIAN

The Management of Guardian Newspapers Limited wishes to inform members of the public that our newspapers have been off the streets and online, following an industrial action called by our workers.

The two unions in our company - Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) - withdrew their services on Tuesday, November 6, 2007. Their grouse was that our company would not commit to award a 50 per cent raise on their gross pay. Mindful of the prevailing economic situation in the country in general, and the media industry in particular, we offered a more realistic pay increase to the workers. We also held several meetings with the unions, with a view to reaching an agreement on the issue. But the unions rejected our offer outright and stuck to their demand.

We thank our readers and advertisers both in print and online, and the general public for their understanding, and ask that they bear with us over the prevailing situation."

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