Labour unions on Tuesday staged a protest at the premises of Global Plus Publishing Company (GPP) in Lagos over the alleged dismissal of 75 employees.

The protest, led by the National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPROW) and the Pulp, Paper and Paper Products, Printing and Publishing Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PPAPPPAPSSAN), saw the company’s premises locked, while placards accused management of victimising workers for joining trade unions.

Some of the placards also called for the intervention of Chris Oyakhilome, founder of Christ Embassy.

According to the unions, the affected workers received dismissal notices at midnight via personal emails, with the company citing redundancy as the reason for the action.

Chairman of PPAPPPAPSSAN at GPP, Odoba Benjamin, criticised the company’s handling of the matter, describing it as unjust and contrary to labour laws.

The unions argued that the dismissals did not comply with Section 20 of the Labour Act, which requires employers to inform workers’ representatives, apply the “last-in, first-out” principle, and negotiate redundancy benefits.

They further alleged that the redundancy claim was merely a pretext, insisting that the sackings were connected to workers’ decision to unionise in August 2025—an action they said management resisted.

According to the unions, about 40 of the affected employees are members of NUPPPROW, which is affiliated with the Nigeria Labour Congress, while others belong to PPAPPPAPSSAN, affiliated with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.

The workers were reportedly paid what the unions described as inadequate severance packages under a “Long Service Award,” with some receiving less than N200,000.

Citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, the unions stressed that workers have the right to freedom of association, including joining trade unions.

They demanded the immediate reinstatement of the affected employees and called on labour centres to intervene.

The unions also warned that protests, including picketing, would continue until their demands are met, cautioning that failure to resolve the dispute could encourage similar actions by other employers.