Media employees memo to Gogoi on wage recommendation

The All Assam Media Employees Federation has appealed chief inister Tarun Gogoi to enforce implementation of the Majithia Wage Board recommendations, enact a law for protection of journalists, pension and health schemes for scribes, besides inclusion of electronic media workers in the Minimum Wage Act.
In a memorandum to the chief minister submitted yesterday, the AAMEF said the state labour Department on February 21 last issued a notice to the newspapers in the state to submit their report within six months on compliance of the implementation of the Majithia Wage Board recommendations for News Paper Journalists and Non-journalists.
Stating a committe was also formed, including the AAMEF, on the issue but till now not a meeting of the committee was called, the memorandum urged Gogoi to take immediate steps in this regard, an AAMEF release said here today.

Pointing out that despite Gogoi announcing a pension scheme for retired journalists on April 4, 2013, the journlaists organisation wanted him to take immediate steps like the Kerela Government for implementation of the scheme.
Claiming attacks on the media personnel was rising in Assam with 22 losing their life so far, the Federation demaded a legal provision for protection of journalists and non-journalist media employees and compensation to their families.
As there is no specific wage board for journalists and non-journalists of the electronic media, the Federation demanded that the state's Minimum Wage Act, 1939 be amended to ensure them minimum wages of Rs 10,000 per month.

The AAMEF further wanted their demands to be implementsed by August next failing which they would be compelled to move the Court for fulfilment of their demands.
A resolution on the demands was taken at a meeting here on May 17 last attended by Assam Bartajibi Sangha president Kesab Kalita, Assam Tribune Employees Union president and general secretary Siba Prasad Deka and PTI union Guwahati Durba Ghosh among others. And Dupdharam Kalita, Electronic Media Forum of Assam president.