Press On With Unity, Says DUJ

Newspaper  employees in the capital observed Press Unity Day on June 30, 2006 by holding a massive rally in the Press Area and courting arrest. The mounting anger of the employees found eloquent  expression in the one-month ultimatum served on the Delhi government by nine newspaper employees unions: either take action within this period on their charter of demands or face intensified agitation thereafter.

Activists belonging to The Hindustan Times Employees Union, Patriot Link Workers Union, Bennet Coleman & Company Employees Union, Indian Express Employees Union, National Herald-Qami Awaz Employees Union, Delhi Union of Journalists Union, PTI Employees Federation and Delhi State Newspaper Employees Federation assembled outside the office of Patriot daily. The employees marched through the Press Area shouting slogans against the reprehensibly indifferent attitude of the Sheila Dikshit government and the mounting anti-labour practices resorted to by newspaper managements and courted arrest.

A delegation of the unions submitted a memorandum to the Delhi chief minister demanding an immediate halt to unfair labour practices and  prevention of starvation deaths among newspaper employees. Later addressing the public meeting, leaders of the unions called for intensified agitation to resolve the issues.

(INN)