The Hindu : New Delhi News : Journalists' Wage Boards notification may be delayed

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Journalists' Wage Boards notification may be delayed

J. Balaji

NEW DELHI: The Labour and Employment Ministry, which set March 31 as the deadline by which it wanted to get the cabinet nod and issue notification on the recommendations of the Wages Boards for the Journalists/other employees of the newspaper/news agencies, is all set to miss the date as some of the managements are putting pressure on the government not to give its nod.

This despite that Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni confirming to The Hindu that her Ministry had given its positive opinion on the cabinet note prepared by the Labour Ministry on the wage board recommendations on March 17 itself. A senior official of the Labour Ministry confirmed that they received opinions from the Finance and Corporate Affairs Ministries too. The fate of opinion from the Law and Justice Ministry was not known.

The official said that the newspaper managements, which had been opposing the recommendations even in the Wage Board meetings, headed by its Chairman Justice G.R. Majithia, were continuing their opposition even now and hence the delay. “I cannot say when the recommendation will be placed before the cabinet for its approval. There may be some delay,” he said.

The Indian Newspaper Society has urged the Labour Ministry to “reject” the recommendations as it claimed that the reports were prepared in breach of rules and time-tested procedures. The Boards exceeded their term under the statue by suggesting measures that were manifested beyond the terms of reference and scope.

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