JOURNALISTS from The Mail newspaper, which suspended operations last week, have challenged the publishers’ decision to send them on forced leave.
Fruitlink Investments, which started publishing in March, told workers that it had been forced to stop publishing because it could not afford printing costs.
It said it would resume operations after taking delivery of its own printing press bought from overseas, which might take six months.
Workers were also told that they would have to take unpaid leave during that period.
But their lawyer, Rodgers Matsikidze, wrote to the company on Thursday saying the directive was unilateral and unlawful. “Our clients believe that as at law they are entitled to be heard,” Matsikidze said.
“In fact, there is no such thing as unpaid leave for employees who do not want to go on leave.
— BY OUR STAFF
