People's Democracy

DUJ Issues Open Letter To MPs

THE Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), in an open letter to all members of parliament, has called upon them to use their good offices to articulate within and outside parliament the demand for the setting up of a wage board for long overdue wage revision of journalists and improvement of their pitiable working conditions.

The joint letter by the DUJ president S K Pande and general secretary Javaed Faridi was of the firm view that the outdated Working Journalists Act must be totally changed to save the journalists from the bondage of contracts.

It has stated that the issue has assumed urgency as the labour ministry seems to have been brainwashed by the employers and is not responding to the just demand of the journalists. Since the forthcoming session beginning January 29 was to be very short, the letter expressed hope that the MPs would raise the matter in the house at an appropriate time and lend strength to its cause.

The letter said, “To place the issue in perspective, let us apprise you of the facts. Whereas in all other industries, wages are generally revised after every five years, a chaotic situation prevails in the newspaper industry with journalists waiting for more than 10 years at an average to get their mere pittance raised.”

It further stated that “Despite statutory responsibility under the Working Journalists Act to constitute wage boards periodically, the governments of the day, irrespective of party composition, have been shying away from it. Meanwhile, the stagnating wages have made it difficult for journalists to make both ends meet. It is an irony that journalists are starving while newspapers barons are multiplying their profits as is reflected in their annual reports.”

The letter said: “Here, we would also like to draw your attention to the system of contract employment which the newspaper proprietors are suing the deny journalists their due. Using this device, the proprietors pay journalists, barring a select few, a fraction of what they legitimately deserve. Hence, our demand for abolition of employment of journalists on contract and their absorption as regular staffers. The employment of journalists on contract while making them bonded labourers of the proprietors, also poses a grave threat to the freedom of the press.

“We also wish to draw your kind attention to the plight of journalists in the electronic industry. In the TV channels, there are no laws to regulate their working conditions. Journalists work sometimes for 14 hours at a stretch with negligible compensation in the form of wages. Hence, our demand for a comprehensive amendment of the Working Journalists Act to bring in its purview all newspersons, whether working in print or electronic media, as it presently covers only the print media. Its all the more necessary because of the entry of foreign media moghuls with all its ramifications.

The letter concluded by urging the MPs “to raise your voice for setting up of a wage board for the entire newspaper industry along with a comprehensive amendment of the Working Journalists Act to bring it in tune with the changes that have taken place since its last amendment.” (INN)