Abolish contract system in media: IFWJ

Panaji, Aug 26: The Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) has pleaded for abolition of contract system of recruitment of journalists with immediate effect.

''The contract system is basically against the tenats of the Working Journalists Act that ensures protection to the journalist fraternity,'' IFWJ president Mr K Vikram Rao said.

The IFWJ, in its 124th Working Committee meeting which concluded here yesterday, had also decided to approach all the state governments to initiate action against media houses for recruiting the journalists on a contract basis.

The Supreme Court should also take up the issue suo motu so that the contract system, which can not protect the journalists under the provisions of either the Labour Act or the Industrial Disputes Act, remains scrapped forthwith.

The meeting was attended by delegates from nook and corner of the country, further asked the state governments to initiate various welfare measures for the journalists like pension plans, accident benefit and housing allowance.

At the sametime, it had urged the media houses to provide the journalists with book allowance, increased conveyance allowance and other benefits, besides training facilities for promoting professionalism.

Meanwhile, the IFWJ General Secretary Parmanand Pandey, had announced ''dissolution'' of the present set-up of the Madras Union of Journalists (MUJ) while appointing veteran journalist Mr M Balan as its Convenor.

The working committee meeting, according to Mr Pandey, had authorised Mr Balan to hold elections for the new office bearers within six months after screening the list of members for genuine membership.

This was following the representations by MUJ members over the genuineness of some members in the body, Mr Pandey said.

UNI