The National Union of Journalists filed a complaint with the Industrial Court today against The Sun daily's management for failing to pay the bonus due to its employees.

The daily's NUJ branch former secretary P Vijian said the management has failed to pay employees a two-month contractual bonus for last year.

The first bonus was due in November last year while the second month's bonus was to be paid in three instalments beginning February.

The complaint was signed by NUJ general secretary Hong Boon How.

Last Tuesday, Hong said the daily's management had requested a two-week grace period to allow the company's shareholders to make a decision on the matter.

Previously, the company's executive director Frankie Tay Tham Siew informed the staff that former editor-in-chief H'ng Hung Yong had promised the bonus in writing last December without consulting the company.

H'ng resigned following a Dec 25 front-page report of a plot to kill the country's top two leaders which landed the daily in hot soup. Several other editorial staff were also suspended.

Following this, scores of journalists and other staff of the daily staged pickets and held candlelight vigils calling for the reinstatement of their colleagues.

'Selective retrenchment'

Two weeks ago, the management retrenched 43 staff, mostly from the editorial department, citing financial reasons.

However, the axed staff claimed the management targeted the daily's NUJ members and those who picketed.

Those retrenched also said the terminations were not carried out in accordance with the "last in, first out" rule.

Yesterday, seven axed staff of the daily lodged a complaint with the labour department claiming unfair dismissal under Section 20 of the Employment Act. More are expected to lodge similar complaints.

On Tuesday, it was announced that a new media company, Nexnews Bhd, will be taking over The Sun .