Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) has welcomed he landmark judgment of the Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of the Majithia Wage Boards for journalist and non-journalist employees of newspapers. The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam and consisting of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Shivkirti Singh has dismissed all 14 petitions filed by as many newspaper barons. The Supreme Court has rejected all contentions of employers including the procedures adopted by the Wage Boards for preparing the recommendations.
IFWJ President K. Vikram Rao and its Secretary General Parmanand Pandey have said in a statement that in all fairness the newspaper proprietors should immediately implement the recommendations of the Wage Boards as the employees have been denied the due wages for nearly 14 years. Shri Rao, who has been the member of the journalist’s Wage Board has condemned the despicable delaying tactics of the newspaper employees who create hurdles at every stage from the constitution of the Wage Boards to the implementation of its
recommendations and thus deprive the financial benefits to employees..
IFWJ has warned that any further delay in the non-compliance would amount to the contempt court and it will cause huge unrest in the newspaper industry. IFWJ has called upon the State Governments to ensure the forthwith implementation of the Wage Boards’ recommendations by the employers.
SB Bhardwaj
Office Secretary
IFWJ
