'Wage Board for journalists, non-journalists soon'

New Delhi, Apr 25: The government would soon constitute a WageBoard for Newspaper and News Industry Employees, Union Labour MinisterOscar Fernandes said today.

''The Wage Board will be constituted in a few days without any further delay,'' Mr Fernandes told mediapersons here.

''The government had already approved the constitution of two WageBoards, one for working journalists and the other for non-journalistNewspaper Employees,'' the Minister said.

This had been approved in accordance with Section 9 and 13(C) ofworking journalists and other newspaper employees (Conditions ofService) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955, he added.

Mr Fernandes also discussed the agenda of the two day Indian Labour Conference beginning at Vigyan Bhawan on April 27.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would inaugurate the Conference,which would discuss strengthening of Labour Laws and its effectiveimplementation to prevent violations, Payment of Bonus Act, 1965,Contract Labour (R and A) Act, 1970 and measures to improveemployability of youth.

Dr Singh would also give away the Prime Minister's Shram Awards toas many as 45 workers in different categories from Public and privatesectors.

Earlier, Labour Secretary Sudha Pillai had said that the 41stConference was in continuation with tradition, which has held about 40session so far. The objective of the conference is to push forward theagenda of social partners.

It was equally important to protect workers' interests especiallywhen the country had achieved a high growth in the manufacturing andservice sectors.

UNI