People's Democracy

SCRIBES THREATENED WITH CONTRACTS WAVE

CPI(M) Supports HT Employees Agitation

Brinda Karat addressing the demonstration in front of HT building

“WE will fight with you outside parliament; we will fight for your fair and just demands inside parliament; we assure the full support of our Party”, so said CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP Brinda Karat addressing a gathering of journalists and press workers in front of Hindustan Times building on October 1. The mass dharna was organised by the DUJ in coordination with the HT and other plant unions seeking immediate reinstatement of the illegally sacked 362 employees of HT. The meeting was attended not only by press workers from all over Delhi but by the family of the sacked HT worker Mahender who died of hunger a few days ago.

Brinda Karat in her speech called for immediate freezing of contract labour in newspaper industry, which has a bearing on the freedom of the press and expression. She asked the managements to put an end to terrorising journalists into contract. She cautioned the gathering against the divide and rule machinations of press barons and the increasing violation of labour laws in the country since the advent of globalisation. She further stressed the necessity of bringing the press closer to the people, and reporting their struggles. Karat released the DUJ October newsletter on this occasion.

The demonstration was also addressed among others by leaders of various trade unions,  the Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA) president, Amardeo Sharma, lawyers S P Singh, well-known threatre activist Mala Hashmi, president of the HT Employees Union, Anand Prakash, president of the Patriot workers union, Rajkumar, Hindustan Times employees union and DUJ general secretary Javed Faridi, CITU leader Mohan Lal and others.

The meeting also heard reports of hunger deaths in Patriot and threats to the Urdu press. It took a “we shall not surrender” pledge and endorsed the charter of demands demanding reinstatement of all the illegally retrenched workers of Hindustan Times and an immediate freeze on contract labour and increasing threats to freedom of expression and association in the newspaper.

The meeting demanded immediate setting up of a new wage board, a media commission on the lines of previous press commission, release of due bonuses in various newspaper establishments and an end to the witch hunt of union activists in the newspaper industry.

DUJ president S K Pande welcomed the formation of the Confederation of Newspaper and News Agencies Employees’ organisations as a roof top organisation. He said the DUJ is ready for various forms of direct actions around Diwali and during the coming session of parliament as part of the struggle. He requested parliamentarians to rally in unison with the journalists to ensure that the Working Journalists Act is amended to end contract labour in the newspaper industry. He stressed the need to freeze contracts now as they were being used by press barons to reduce the coming wage board and security of service to nothingness through coercive contracts, floating a series of companies for various departments and ensuring more and more ‘bonded journalists’, bound by contracts.  “With a Damocles sword hanging above their heads, scribes would be not be able to freely express themselves and their capability to act in public interest as watchdogs would be severely affected”, a resolution adopted unanimously at the meeting stated.

Earlier in the day, the DUJ at an emergency executive meeting resolved to fight the new surveillance method put up by the HT management, including installation of cameras and videos to film who were coming and participating in the dharna.  These methods are being adopted to prevent the increasing union activity through coercion, which were clearly an affront to freedom of speech and freedom to of association. The DUJ asserted that this coercion would be fought tooth and nail. A separate resolution on moving the courts on the question of contract labour was also finalised.

Meanwhile, in a vindictive action, the HT management suspended the Delhi Union of Journalists and HT Employees Union’s newly elected general secretary Javed Faridi.  The DUJ at an emergency meeting on October 6 decided to serve a demand notice to the management to immediately revoke this action. The notice  was also approved by the plant union. The DUJ has called upon the Press
Council to immediately intervene to stop journalist surveillance in the HT office. Letters to the entire cabinet and leaders of all political parties were sent on October 6, 2005 by the DUJ.

Reports reaching Delhi indicate that the stage is set for an all India meeting in Kerala of the All India Newspaper Employees Federation where the crises in the newspaper industry and forms of action are likely to be finalised. (INN)