Cutting across party lines, Rajya Sabha MPs on Tuesday called for immediate implementation of the Wage Boards' recommendations for journalists and non-journalists of newspapers and news agencies.
Raising the matter, P.J. Kurien of the Congress demanded that the recommendations of the Wage Boards headed by Justice G.R. Majithia be implemented immediately so that employees in news organisations got relief. Mr. Kurien said it was the duty of the government to mitigate the hardships of media persons. His views were endorsed by MPs of other parties.
The recommendations were submitted to the government in December 2010. The Wage Boards passed five resolutions for the re-classification of newspapers, payment of arrears from January 8, 2008, an increase in the rate of annual increment and a hike in house rent allowance.
