Anniversaries are usually reserved for happy occasions, but not in the case of Utusan Malaysia branch of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ Utusan).

Next Thursday (July 30), a NUJ Utusan dinner function will be held to commemorate its failed negotiations with their employers for a better collective agreement (CA).

joint action group utusan malaysia memo politik baru ybJ 241008 02 Among NUJ Utusan's demands are a 10 percent salary adjustment, a minimum RM5 annual salary increment, additional monthly transport allowance of RM50 and status quo for other benefits in the last agreement which expired on July 31 last year.

"During the dinner, the 300 NUJ Utusan members will be briefed about the latest developments regarding their CA by union leaders, including NUJ Utusan chair Amran Ahmad," said dinner organiser Baharuddin Yaakob, who is also union deputy chair.

The dinner function will be held at the carpark of the Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd headquarters in Cheras at 8pm.

Baharuddin said several former NUJ Utusan chairpersons have been invited, including Said Zahari, who led a strike in 1961 when the newspaper was taken over by Umno.

"We have sent out the invitation, but until now, he has yet to confirm his attendance," he said.

Help sought from Umno leaders

After failing at the negotiation table, NUJ Utusan brought their plight to Umno leaders through written complaints to several ministers, including then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

It has been reported that NUJ Utusan's letters went unheeded.

NONE The union then tried to picket at the Umno general assembly in March, but this was called off after the union failed to obtain a police permit.

In their latest attempt to be heard, union members on June 20 handed a complaint letter to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Pekan, Pahang ( right ), while his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin was given a similar letter in May.

NUJ Utusan represents journalists, photographers and graphic artists within the Utusan Melayu Bhd stable of newspapers which includes Utusan Malaysia , Mingguan Malaysia , and Kosmo!.