Give the Sept 2 Strike Fair Coverage! The Delhi Union of Journalists in a statement to the Press on the eve of strike expresses its solidarity with the call for general strike given by central trade unions and federations on a host of demands. The DUJ appeals to its members to report the strike without bias. We decry the tendency among some media outfits to slam all labour agitations, particularly strikes, bandhs and rallies, and report them only as traffic disruptions. In any democracy people’s voices should be heard and reported freely.
We recommend that all news items on the strike call focus on the genuine demands of Indian workers who are today heavily burdened by price rise, unfair labour laws and exploitative labour practices while lacking all support structures in the form of free health care and education, decent housing, clean water and sanitation and other basic needs.
The trade unions’ 12-point charter of demands includes the demand for a minimum national wage of Rs 18,000 per month, on par with the lowest wage for central government employees under the Seventh Pay Commission. There are many media organizations that do not pay this to workers. Other demands include a minimum pension of Rs 3000 for all workers.
The strike is also being called to protest labour ‘reforms’, contractualisation of jobs, privatization and sale of Public Sector Undertakings such as Coal India, and the dangers of FDI in the pharma and defence sectors. It is significant that all the national unions, regardless of political affiliation, are unitedly supporting the strike. They include INTUC, HMS, CITU, AITUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, UTUC and LPF.
An emergency Executive & NC meets is being held in evening today to discuss other modalities.
(S K Pande)
President
(Sujata Madhok)
General Secretary
