EMFA hails SC verdict on Majithia Board

Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA), while appreciating the recent verdict of the Supreme Court to implement the Majithia Wage Board recommendations for journalists & non-journalists of newspapers from this month onwards, has emphasized on pay hike for journalists & non-journalists, engaged with privately owned television channels. The apex court on April 9 had directed the newspaper managements across India to implement the recommendations of new wage board, which would be applicable since 11 November 2011 and to clear the arrears up to March 2014 to be paid to all eligible employees within a year. Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia and advocates for justice & institutional reform to ensure the protection & promotion of the rights also urged the newspaper owners to implement the latest wage board from April 2014.

Taking the recent Supreme Court’s judgment as a standard, the AHRC urges the media houses to implement the Majithia Wage Board recommendations as a matter of priority, said a recent statement from the Hong Kong based organization.

EMFA pointed out that nearly 80% television employees of northeast India are still performing their duties with pitiable salaries, unlimited working hours and without any facilities recommended by the country's labour laws not to speak of any statutory wage board recommendations. Hence EMFA calls for due legal benefits to the television employees as like their counterparts in the print media. Earlier All Assam Media Employees Federation (AAMEF) and Journalists Forum Assam (JFA) also raised voices for systematic pay hike for all media employees, engaged with the print & electronic media. Both the organizations also reiterated their demand for a social media audit in the region such that the readers and viewers can find a transparent picture of the financial dealings involved with their favourite newspapers and private news channels. The media audit should address many vital issues relating to the media market in the country, asserted the AAMEF and JFA adding that the exercise would hopefully help the media employees to receive their due benefits supported by the law of the land.