The Lagos State Council of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has urged the management of Global Plus Publishing Limited to immediately recall about 75 of its members who were sacked.

TUC urged the firm to respect the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and engage the union in effective dialogue.

Chairman and Acting Secretary of the TUC, Lagos State Council, Abiodun Aladetan and Vera Egbukichi, respectively, in a statement, said the union received with deep concern the sudden disengagement of 75 workers who are members of the Pulp, Paper and Paper Products, Printing and Publishing Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PPAPPASSAN) by the firm.

The TUC said the development was particularly disturbing, considering that the matter was already under discussion between the union and the management of the company, with the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The labour leaders recalled that during a meeting held on March 2, 2026, at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, both parties agreed to maintain the status quo while discussions continued.

They argued that the management of the company requested an extension to respond to the issues raised by the union, which was granted by the union in good faith.

With the matter already before the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, they said the ministry has convened an emergency meeting to address the dispute.

They maintained that under such circumstances, the decision to sack workers while mediation was ongoing raises serious concerns about respect for due process and established dispute resolution mechanisms.

However, they said it came as a surprise that despite the understanding, the management proceeded to retrench the workers in question.

The council said it considered the action not only premature but also contrary to the spirit of social dialogue and good faith negotiation, which are the bedrock of industrial relations practice.

The union stressed that what made the situation more troubling was the fact that the publishing company is associated with a respected Christian ministry, where values of compassion, justice, fairness and respect for human dignity, which are central to the teachings of Christ, should naturally be reflected in the conduct of institutions connected with such a faith-based organisation.

They sought the intervention of the church’s leader, Chris Oyakhilome, whom they described as a respected spiritual leader known for his humanitarian disposition and commitment to uplifting humanity.

According to them, “We expect that a company associated with a faith-based institution should lead by example in promoting fairness, justice and respect for the rights and dignity of workers.

“We wish to reiterate that joining a trade union is a fundamental right of workers guaranteed under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and recognised under international labour standards. It is neither a crime nor an act of disloyalty for workers to organise themselves in pursuit of legitimate workplace concerns.

“The labour movement remains committed to peaceful engagement, social dialogue and the protection of workers’ rights in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We trust that justice, fairness and good conscience will prevail.”

Efforts to get a reaction from the publishing firm proved abortive, as calls made were not answered or returned as of press time.