Saturday, January 22, 2011

[ZESTCaste] Newspaper employees set to get 2.5 times hike in basic pay

http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/01/stories/2011010158361900.htm

Newspaper employees set to get 2.5 times hike in basic pay

Wage Boards for journalists, non-journalists submit report

It recommends that the retirement age be fixed at 65

The Boards propose a variable pay of 35 per cent

— Photo: PTI

REVISING PAY STRUCTURE:Justice G.R. Majithia (left), Chairman of the
Wage Boards for working journalists and non-journalists and other
newspaper employees, submitting recommendations to Labour Secretary
P.K Chaturvedi in New Delhi on Friday.

New Delhi: The Wage Boards for working journalists and non-journalists
and other newspaper employees submitted their recommendations to the
government on Friday, recommending 2.5 to 3 times hike in basic pay
and fixing the retirement age at 65.

The revised basic pay has been computed after merging the existing
basic pay, the dearness allowance and the 30 per cent interim relief
already granted besides 35 per cent variable pay, said Chairman of the
Wage Boards Justice G.R. Majithia.

The recommendations have been proposed to be implemented from January 8, 2008.

Taking into account the concept of grade pay introduced in the Sixth
Pay Commission, the Boards introduced 'variable pay' for all employees
working in newspaper establishments and news agencies.

Consequently, the Boards proposed a variable pay of 35 per cent.

This will be implemented from July 1, 2010. "As per the
recommendation, current basic pay would rise by 2.5 to 3 times," a
Wage Board official said.

According to an official of the Wage Boards, the basic pay at the
entry level could be anywhere around Rs. 9,000 while the basic pay
drawn at the senior level could be around Rs. 25,000 in a category 1
media house.

Permanent tribunal

"We have also proposed establishment of a permanent tribunal to
redress grievances between employers and employees," Justice Majithia
said after presenting the recommendations to the Labour and Employment
Secretary Prabhat Chaturvedi.

The recommendations would be examined by the Ministry before they are
tabled before the Union Cabinet for approval, Mr. Chaturvedi said.

The Boards also recommended that the dearness allowance shall be paid
by-annually with effect from July 1 and January 1 every year and the
rate of neutralisation for determining the DA would be 100 per cent of
the basic pay for all groups of employees.

It recommended revision of house rent, transport, and night shift
allowances, the Chairman said.

It has been recommended that the HRA be paid at the rate of 30 per
cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of the basic pay to employees posted
in areas defined as area X, Y and Z respectively.

Similarly, transport allowance at the rate of 20 per cent, 10 per cent
and five per cent shall be paid by newspaper establishments to its
employees posted in respective areas defined as X, Y and Z
respectively.

The hardship allowance has been recommended at Rs. 1000 for employees
working in hilly areas.

"The employees working in the newspaper establishment of classes I and
II and classes III and IV shall be paid medical allowance at the rate
of Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500 per month per employee respectively. But no
medical allowance shall be paid to employees who are covered by the
Employees State Insurance Corporation."

News agencies with a revenue of over Rs. 60 crore have been put in the
same place as top rung newspapers following the Boards'
reclassification of news papers and news agencies. Consequently, PTI
has been put in the top spot with UNI in the second slot.

The Boards were constituted three years ago for the purpose of fixing
or revising rates of wages in respect of working journalists and
non-journalists and other newspaper employees. — PTI


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