7 October 2019: The Indian Journalists Union observed 12th World Day for Decent Work on 7 October last year by expressing grave concern over the rising layoffs in the media sector, which are being justified by owners and managements as an offshoot of the economic slowdown. The trend is across the board in print, television and digital media with labour laws being thrown to the winds and an independent press too becoming a victim.
The IJU drew the attention of the Union government to the contractual system of employment in the media sector, which was playing havoc with security of jobs, which the Wage Board provided. Over a 1000 jobs are said to have been lost since last year and while some journalists take recourse to the courts to get justice, others are left at the mercy of their employers with no retrenchment package coming their way.
The layoffs have a direct impact on good and independent journalism as without a secure job, the work force would be compelled by sheer economics to make compromises. The IJU urged the Government to ensure that the proposed labour codes do not subsume the Working Journalists Act, as the media cannot be compared to any other industry and that both electronic and digital media be brought under the Act’s ambit.
At the same time, the IJU called upon journalists to strengthen the media trade union movement to put a halt to the anti-labour policies of the managements and join these to fight for their rights. It joined the IFJ in its campaign: Precarious work in not inevitable, so join unions and prove them wrong!
