- Flag concerns arising from the proposed implementation of the labour codes that had subsumed laws pertaining to working journalists.
- The journalists’ organisations request the minister to consider payment of inflation-linked monthly pension by the central government to senior journalists in the pattern of states governments.
- The smallest state of Arunachal Pradesh has been paying the highest monthly pension of Rs 25,000 and it is followed by Rajasthan Government with Rs 15,000.
- In all, 33 states and Union Territories have been paying pension and other welfare measures for journalists.
- We are asking for Rs 30,000 inflation-linked pension per month for journalists who have attained 60 years of age: BR Prajapati
NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, SEP 5
A delegation of journalists on Saturday met Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav urging ‘one nation, one pension’ policy for all journalists, irrespective of accreditation. They also flagged concerns arising from the proposed implementation of the labour codes that had subsumed laws pertaining to working journalists.
The delegation comprising representatives from Press Association, Working News Cameraman’s Association and Indian Journalists Union (IJU), apprised the minister that with the repeal of the Working Journalists Act, working journalists will be treated as any other labour force in the country without considering the creative nature of the journalistic work.
The delegation requested the minister to ensure that the special provisions of the Working Journalist Act be protected to ensure the freedom and respect for the fourth pillar of democracy.
The media delegation pointed out that with the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 applying to working journalists, as they apply to workmen within the meaning of that Act, no longer applicable, the working journalists, in case of a dispute, cannot get any relief from a court of law.
They also pointed out that the new labour codes grant more flexibility to employers for hiring and firing workers and also allow companies to use arbitrary service conditions for employees, including working journalists.
The journalists’ organisations also requested the minister to consider payment of pension by the central government to senior journalists in the pattern of states governments.
Implement ‘one nation, one pension’ policy for journalists
According to Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and Gujarat Journalists Union president BR Prajapati, the smallest state of Arunachal Pradesh has been paying the highest monthly pension of Rs 25,000 and it is followed by Rajasthan Government with Rs 15,000. In all, 33 states and Union Territories have been paying pension and other welfare measures for journalists. In the Model State of Gujarat, the GJU has been pursuing the same since 2018 but the state government is non-committal on this so far. Our major demand was for a uniform pension policy for all journalists covered under the Working Journalists Act, irrespective of accreditation.
“We are asking for Rs 30,000 inflation-linked pension per month for journalists who have attained 60 years of age. We are also demanding for a change in the Working Journalists Act that covers only newspapers, to include electronic and web media journalists. Once that is done, the new wage board can be applied for all,” Prajapati added.
