Except The Tribune, No Chandigarh Newspaper Has Implemented Majithia

Union Territory of Chandigarh is a major publication centre of newspapers in the country. Many important newspapers like; the Tribune, Dainik Bhaskar, Dainik Jagran, Punjab Kaisari, Indian Express and Ajit etc. having large circulations are published from this Union Territory. However, except the Tribune Group of Newspapers, publishers of the Tribune, Hindi Tribune and Punjabi Tribune, no other newspaper has implemented the Majithia Wage Award.

This has been stated in the affidavit filed on 26.08.2016 by Shri Ajit Balaji Joshi, IAS, the Labour Commissioner of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Thus barring Tribune all newspapers have been found to be violating the Supreme Court order by not complying with the implementation of the Award.

The report as submitted by the Labour Commissioner also tells that while there are 350 employees in the Tribune Group, the other important newspapers like; The Times of India and Dainik Jagran are managing their publications with 110 and 48 employees respectively. Dainik Bhaskar employs 200 only employees. Pubjab Kesari has 80 employees but the Ajit manages to bring out the newspaper with merely 30 employees. What is most surprising is that the Labour Commissioner’s report is completely silent on the status of the Majithia Implementation in Indian Express and Jansatta.

The Labour Commissioner has not made any sue motto exercise to find out the actual status of the implementation. So much so, the newspapers have refused to furnish any documents evidence with regard to the implementation and yet the Labour Department is simply wringing its hands in despair.

Parmanand Pandey
Secretary General
IFWJ