Question : CHARTER OF DEMANDS BY AINPEF



(a) whether the All India News Paper Employees Federation have submitted a Charter of Demands to the Union Government recently;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the reaction of the Government on each of the demands?

Answer given by the minister

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR (SHRI VIJAY GOEL)

(a) & (b): The All India News Paper Employees Federation (AINPEF) have recently submitted a copy of the Charter of Demands which they served on the employers` organisations viz. Indian Newspapers Society and the Indian Languages Newspapers Association. The Charter of Demand includes revision of wages w.e.f. 1st January, 2003, fitment, new groupings, DA, HRA, CCA, night shift allowance, transport allowance, LTC, medical allowance, pension, etc. for working journalists and non-journalists in the newspaper industry.

(c): The Manisana Wage Boards set up by the Government on 2.9.94 under the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955 submitted their recommendations on 25.7.2000. The Government accepted these recommendations with slight modifications and notified them vide Orders dated 5.12.2000 and 15.12.2000. Since the recommendations of the Manisana Wage Boards have been accepted recently these would remain in force until the Award of the next Wage Board. The constitution of the next Wage Board is, therefore, not a point for action for the present.

As regards the Charter of Demands, the AINPEF may approach the appropriate Government (i.e State Government under the said Act) for mediation if the parties fail to settle the matter.