NEW DELHI, Dec 31 � The Wage Boards for Working Journalists and Non-Journalists and other newspaper employees submitted their recommendations to the Government today recommending 2.5 to 3 times hike in basic pay and fixing the retirement age at 65, reports PTI.
The revised basic pay has been computed after merging the existing basic pay, the dearness allowance and the 30 per cent interim relief already granted besides 35 per cent variable pay, said Chairman of the Boards Justice G R Majithia.
The recommendations have been proposed to be implemented from January 8, 2008.
Taking into account the concept of grade pay introduced in the Sixth Pay Commission, the Boards introduced �variable pay� for all employees working in newspaper establishments and news agencies.
Consequently, the Boards proposed a variable pay of 35 per cent.
This will be implemented from July 1, 2010.
�As per the recommendation, current basic pay would rise by 2.5 to 3 times,� a wage board official said.
According to an official of the Wage Boards, the basic pay at the entry level could be anywhere around Rs 9,000 while the basic pay drawn at the senior level could be around Rs 25,000 in a category 1 media house.
�We have also proposed establishment of a permanent tribunal to redress grievances between employers and employees,� Majithia said after presenting the recommendations to Labour and Employment Secretary Prabhat Chaturvedi.
The recommendations would be examined by the Ministry before they are tabled before the Union Cabinet for approval, Chaturvedi said.
The Boards have also recommended that dearness allowance shall be paid bi-annually with effect from July 1 and January 1 every year and the rate of neutralisation for determining DA would be 100 per cent of the basic pay for all group of employees.
The Boards have also recommended revision of other allowances such as house rent allowance, transport allowance, nigh shift allowance etc, the chairman said.
It has been recommended that house rent allowance shall be paid at the rate of 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of the basic pay to employees posted in areas defined as area X, Y and Z respectively.
Similarly, transport allowance at the rate of 20 per cent, 10 per cent and five per cent shall be paid by newspaper establishments to its employees posted in respective areas defined as X, Y and Z respectively.
The hardship allowance has been recommended at Rs 1000 for employees working in hilly areas.
Employees working in newspaper establishment of classes I and II and classes III and IV shall be paid medical allowance at the rate of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 per month per employee respectively.
But no medical allowance shall be paid to employees who are covered by Employees State Insurance Corporation.
