People's Democracy

DUJ Castigates Govt-Management Connivance

IN a statement issued on April 4, the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) has informed that the Supreme Court has fixed July 9 for the next wage board hearing for journalists and non-journalists. It is likely to be under another bench as, in a brief hearing on April 2, 2013, Justice Alam indicated that he would not be able to take up the matter as he was retiring on April 18.

Colin Gonsalves, who appeared jointly for several journalist and non-journalist bodies, raised the issue of plight of press workers in the backdrop of the long-drawn wage board hearings.

Press workers and journalists are meanwhile slated to hold special meetings in various states in the course of the month. In Delhi spontaneous meetings have already taken place to express their concern at the continuous delay and the wait and watch attitude of the government.

The DUJ, at an emergency executive meeting, expressed concern at the inordinate delay in the final announcement. The DUJ also urged all the concerned persons to take note of not only the delay but also of the reports reaching Delhi of a fresh dose of coercive contracts --- even in newspaper establishments known to have a tradition of wage board implementation. It reiterated that contracts and the new patterns of even veiled contracts were an infringement on the freedom of the press, the right of association, and smacked of McCarthyism. It cautioned all journalist bodies against the divide and rule machinations and increasing management-government connivance to reduce the wage board to `nothingness.’

Interactive day to day sessions of DUJ members were to continue.