Report of Wage Boards for Working Journalists presented

New Delhi, Jan.2 (ANI): The National Wage Boards for Working Journalists and other Newspaper Employees chairman, Justice G. R. Majithia and the members of the Wage Boards presented their final Report to Secretary Ministry of Labour and Employment P. C. Chaturvedi in New Delhi during the week end.

Interacting with mediapersons after the presentation function , Justice Majithia said a fine, fair and judicious balance has been achieved between the expectations and aspirations of the employees and the capacity and willingness of the employers to pay.

"The report has made some suggestions for the consideration of the government on issues like post-retirement benefits, a forward looking promotion policy, measures to improve enforcement of the Award, need for improving data base of the RNI," said Majithia.

The Report has classified newspaper establishments into eight categories, and news agencies into four categories based on gross revenues.

Recommended pay scales have been classified into six categories for jobs in each class of establishment. Pay scales have been worked out by adding old basic pay and DA admissible up to June 2010 plus 30 percent of interim relief.

The revised pay would have a component of 'variable' pay at the rate of 35 percent for employees working in first top four classes of establishments and 20 percent for other four classes of establishments.

The 'variable' pay will be added in the revised basic pay for calculation of all allowances. Effective date of implementation would be from July 1, 2010.

The monthly emoluments for the lowest category of employee in the lowest class of establishment would work out to be Rs. 9000 for the basic pay at floor level minimum wage of Rs. 5000. The revised basic pay would however range from Rs. 9000 to Rs. 17500 for non-journalists and from Rs. 13000 to Rs. 25000 for working journalists in the top establishment having gross revenues of over Rs. 1000 crores.

As far as social security measures are concerned possibility of granting paternity leave to male employees, retirement age of 65 years, and exploring pension scheme possibilities have been suggested going beyond the mandated wage structure revision.

The wage board has further recommended night shift allowance, hard ship allowance; transport allowance and house rent allowance for different class of establishments. It has recommended that a permanent mechanism in the form of a tribunal be set up to adjudicate on complaints regarding non-implementation or circumvention of the Award. Also Employers are to ensure that while engaging contractual workers they must atleast offer same alary for the same work which is performed by the regular employee. (ANI)