Implement recommendations of Majithia Wage Board: SC

The Supreme Court of India on 7 February 2014 ordered to implement the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board for journalists and non-journalists in newspapers and news agencies. Supreme Court in its decision upheld the recommendations of Majithia Wage Board on the pay structure and has directed for revised salaried to be granted to the employees.

As per the decision, the revised wages have been made payable from 11 November 2011 the day the centre in its notification notified the recommendations. The Court in its decision ruled that all the arrears will be paid in four installments within a year and the recommendations should be implemented from April 2014.

The Apex court ordered this after dismissing the petitions of various newspapers that challenged the recommendations of the wage board and its constitution.

The Supreme Court bench that passed the decision was headed by P Sathasivam, the Chief Justice of India. In its decision the bench of the apex court said that the wage Board followed proper procedures in giving the recommendations and the allegations leveled against it and its constitution are not right.

About Majithia Wage Board
The 6th Majithia Wage Board was constituted in 2007 by the Labour Ministry, which announced an adhoc interim relief of 30 percent of basic pay with effect from January 2008. On 31 December 2010 the Board submitted its final recommendations, which were notified by the Union Government on 11 November 2011. Justice G. R. Majithia was the Chairman of the National Wage Boards for Working Journalists and other Newspaper Employees.

The Board in its recommendation mentioned that monthly emoluments for the lowest category of employee in the lowest class of establishment would work out to be 9000 rupees for the basic pay at floor level minimum wage of 5000 rupees. The revised basic pay would however range from 9000 rupees to 17500 rupees for non-journalists and from 13000 rupees to 25000 rupees for working journalists in the top establishment having gross revenues of more than 1000 crores rupees.