In a letter to Gogoi, representatives of eight media associations said it is ironic that journalists, who often highlight the exploitation faced by workers in other sectors, have to work in an exploitative situation themselves.
They are denied economic benefits recommended by statutory wage boards constituted by the Centre and most journalists work without proper appointment letters, PF, ESI, gratuity and leave, while journalist and non-journalist media persons in Assam are even deprived of the benefits recommended by the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
The wage board beneficiaries should include full-time rural correspondents as well as journalists and non-journalists of the electronic media.
"So we demand for immediate implementation of Majithia Wage Board award in all newspaper houses in Assam," said the letter signed by representatives of National Federation of Newspaper Employees, Assam Union of Working Journalists, Journalist Union of Assam, Journalists Forum Assam, Assam Press Correspondents Union, All Assam Journalist Union, Assam Tribune Employees Union and Electronic Media Forum Assam.
The associations also demanded adequate compensation to families of media persons in case of any unfortunate incident while covering news and life insurance of minimum Rs 10,00,000 for each media person.
The letter said working in the insurgency-affected state was becoming increasingly dangerous for journalists. They are subjected to numerous threats from insurgents, surrendered militants and even from anti-insurgent security personnel.
Statistics show that Assam has lost over 20 dedicated editors/journalists in the last two decades and not a single culprit has been punished till date, it added.
