The Wage boards formed for Working Journalists, Non-Journalists and other newspaper employees have submitted their recommendations to the Central Government. G.R. Majithia has been acted as Chairman of the Wage Boards. The recommendations have sparked a row with managements of newspapers. The Boards for Journalists and non journalists were formed 3 years back for fixing and revising wages and allowances for working journalists and non—journalists and other newspaper employees. Following are the important recommendations of G.R. Majithia Wage Board:
1. Hike in basic pay from 2.5 to 3 times
2. Fixing the retirement age at 65.
3. Revised basic pay has to be calculated after merging the existing basic pay, DA and the 30 per cent interim relief already granted besides 35 per cent variable pay.
4. The recommendations have to be implemented from 8th January 2008 if accepted by the Govt. of India.
5. Introduced variable pay concept for all employees working in newspaper establishments and news agencies. The Boards proposed a variable pay of 35 per cent.
6. Variable Pay has to be implemented from 1st July 2010.
7. The basic pay at the entry level could be somewhere around Rs. 9,000 and Basic Pay at senior level could be around Rs. 25,000 in a category 1 media organisation.
8. Need of a permanent tribunal to redress grievances between employers and employees
9. DA should be paid bi-annually with effect from July 1 and January 1 every year.
10. Need of revision of allowances such as HRA, transport allowance, night shift allowance etc.
11. HRA shall be paid at the 30 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent of the basic pay based on the areas specified.
12. Medical allowance of Rs. 1000 and Rs. 500 per month per employee working in newspaper establishment of classes I and II and classes III and IV respectively. No medical allowance for employees covered by ESIC.
The Central Government is busy studying the report and also sent notes to related departments for their opinion. It is likely that the Wage Board Report would be placed before the Central Cabinet soon and get nod in the Parliament.
These recommendations don’t include the resolutions passed by the wage board meeting during the last days of its tenure, ie 21st to 24th December. These resolutions make great difference in pay caluculation. The main resolutions were-
1. Annual Increment Rate increased to 6% from the earlier proposal of 4%
2.HRA raised to 40%, 30%, 20%- ie. 10% increase in each class
3. Classification of news papers also changed. 11 classes instead of 8.
Any promotional policy in wage board after 25 years of service in same post ?
its enough 60 years for retirement, no need to increase it and give medical allowances once in a year as 1month basic salary amount….
at present situation retirement age 60 years enough.not necessary for 65 years which was recomanded by the wage board.
Yes. You may be right considering the shrinking opportunities for youth. It will benefit managements of news papers also in the form of wages, which is a different issue.
Any one knows about the status ? When the wageboard is going to be approved and whan it is going to be implemented?
i would say retirement age should be 65 but the option 60 or 65 should be vested with the employee. Reason a journalists pen get more sharper as the age proceeds, with some exeptions.
The recommendations to be implemented from 8th January 2008 is must. There is no need of retirement age 65 years. 60 years is enough. There is no mentioned trancfer benefit rules in majithia wageboard recommendations. Pl. look into the matter.
Sir,
Retairement age at 60 is good. But after 60 it is employee or management intrest upto 65 years. If any employee wants to retire at before the 65 years age he should be give 50% of gross salary as pention upto 65 years. The option may use by management also. If they dont want to continue any employee after 60 years they have to pay 50% of his gross salary as pention till he reach 65 years to be considered.
These recommendations don’t include the resolutions passed by the wage board meeting during the last days of its tenure, ie 21st to 24th December. These resolutions make great difference in pay caluculation. The main resolutions were-
1. Annual Increment Rate increased to 6% from the earlier proposal of 4%
2.HRA raised to 35%, 25%, 20%- ie. 10% increase in each class, The variation is less in previous wage boards.
3. Classification of news papers also changed. 11 classes instead of 8.
4. Retairement age option to be given to employee or management after to continue in service after 60yrs of age. For the Remining 5 years 50% of gross salary to be paid to the employee every month.
5. Medical allowance should be one month basic of the current increment month.
Reply
Wage board recommends minimum three promotions to each employee in his/her 30 years of service. (one promotion for every 10 years of service in the same post/category). This should be considered at the time of implementation of the wage board scales.
Increment rate to be revised from 4 to 6% per annum in top three classes
HRA should be 40%,30% 25% in Municipal corporations and in municipalities it should be 20% and 15%
Medical allowance should be one month basic pay of the current year
What is the meaning of the clause “No employee is entitled to get more the maximum of scale”. If an existing employees’ scale. while fixing the new salary, is crossing more than the maximum scale, does it mean he has to sacrifice the balance. What that clause really converys?
It is too late to announce the recommendations by Government.
what would be done to managements which do not implement award
contract employeski kuda 20,000 kante ekkuva ivvali. especially jangon hariprasadku.
What the benefits can a person get if the award will be announce after retirement?
retirement age 60 years enough.not necessary for 65 years which was recomanded by the wage board
Well, the wage board has been drawn to Supreme Court. The real fact is 95% of employees in newspaper establishments are on contract today. What remains is 5%, all of whom, were appointed before 1985. In the next two to three years, most of them will retire. The fact that these employees remained in service so many years is a bonus to employers. Today’s generation take training and hop on to better salary elsewhere. Ironically, many newspapers did not even give them promotions – a clerk has remained a clerk, even when about to retire. At present most of them draw a salary below Rs 30,000. The difference arising on wage liability to newspaper establishments is compensated many more times by the fact that most of these employees, discriminated by their own employers, have suffered a lot. And who fixed them wageboard pay ? It is these very same employers. They respected wageboard those days as it was economical for the newspaper owners. The protest by newspaper owners is clearly “to earn maximum profit out of cheap labour”. Obviously, they want “rich contract employees should be richer, poor wage board employees, who have put in years of service die poor”.
Delay of implementation of wage board recommendations will clasue much loss to the existing senior employees. They served all these years at low rate of salaries. Managements have increased their advertisement tariff more than 300 to 800% from the last wage board implementation date. But employees salary increased only100 to 150% on the then salaries. The total salary of any news paper organisation is not more than 13% of its total expenditure. The news paper firms have to maintain welfare fund @ 5% of the total turnover from all its’ departments or subsidaries.
It is very good report, including the good recommendations made by Hon’ble Justice G R Majithia. Only one recommendation about classification is not justified. As per this, it is not possible to the employees of small or middle class newspaper to reclassification. It want should be less amount or span between two class should be small amount. SC also clear the path of Central Govt. for notification. Now it is moral duty of govt to notify the wage board without any delay, notify as early as possible. It also another duty of govt to form a monitor and implementation committee for proper implementation of the recommendations. Because last wage board’s cases are pending for justice. So my hearty congratulation to the chairman of the board, SC and trade union leaders who are fighting for last justice. Thanks! Kashinath Matale, General Secretary Hitavada Shramik Sangh, Nagpur.
I am fully supported the view of harjinder singh thatits enough 60 years for retirement, no need to increase it and give medical allowances once in a year as 1month basic salary amount.
WAGE BOARD REC. FOR JOURNALIST AND NON WORKING JOURNALIST (WILL IT EFFECT GRADE 9) PLEASE CLARIFY SIR
2011 is gone 2012 running out jan is gone feb nealy in finishing touch. some establish wants reduce their workers, before wageboard.
for giving few rupees some one is becoming ……..goat.