Wage Board recommends 30 pc interim relief for journalists

New Delhi, Jun 28 (UNI) The Wage Board for journalist and non-journalist employees of newspapers and news agencies today recommended an interim relief of 30 per cent of the basic pay from January this year.

Mr Justice K Narayana Kurup, head of the Board, told UNI that the quantum of relief was decided keeping in view the spiralling inflation, which stood at 11.42 per cent, and the demand by the employees for upto 65 per cent hike.

The decision on the relief was taken at the fourth meeting of the Board here today. Mr Justice Kurup said he would submit the recommendations to the government later in the day.

''We are of the considered view that the ideal situation would be that the employees are given an interim relief of 30 per cent from January 2008 when the government made the reference to the Board,'' Mr Justice Kurup said.

The wage board was set up by the government on May 30, 2007 UNI SH RP VC1616