Wage board team to visit Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar, Jul 5 (UNI) A team of Wage Board for journalists and non- journalists will visit Jammu and Kashmir from July 24 to hold discussions with the authorities and stakeholders of the newspaper industry, an official spokesman said today.

The team led by K M Sahni Member-Secretary will remain in the state till August to hold discussion with the ministers concerned, government officers and stakeholders of newspaper industry, the spokesman said.

He said points of the agenda to be discussed, include status of implementation of the recommendations of the 5th (Manisana) Wage Boards announced by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in December, 2000, response to the notice of the current Wage Boards published in the newspapers dated November 24, 2007, demand for interim relief with economic justification, ability of employer to pay the said demand, suggestions regarding amendments, to the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955, the financial health of Newspaper establishments - past, present and future, its likely growth and improvement in the health status in the next five to ten years and present job classification in the newspaper in respect of both journalists and non-journalists, and their respective duties, and their corresponding salary structure and the extent of contract appointments in the establishments.

The team will stay at Jammu from July 24 to July 27 for discussions and meetings with stakeholders of newspaper industry of Jammu. It will have similar meetings at Leh on July 29.

The team will visit Srinagar on August 6 and hold discussions with stakeholders of newspaper industry at Srinagar particularly the Urdu press on August 7, 2008.

The team has proposed meetings with Chief Minister, Minister for Labour and Employment and Chief Secretary on August 8.

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