Interim relief for newspaper employees
KARACHI- The chairman of the 7th Wage Board, Justice Raja Afrasiab Khan, announced an interim relief for newspaper employees on Monday.
According to the order, the interim relief for the employees of metropolitan “A” category is as under: Special grade Rs 2,000 a month; from grades 1 to IV Rs l,600 and from grades V to VII Rs l,100.
The decision will be effective Nov 1. The interim increase is on an ad hoc basis and subject to adjustment by the final decision of the board. The employees of metropolitan “B” will get 50 per cent and those in regional category 35pc of what has been fixed for metropolitan “A” category. All news agencies in category “A” shall pay at the rate of metropolitan “A”, and news agencies in category “B’ will pay the interim relief at the rate of metropolitan “B.”
The chairman, however, regretted that the owners had not cooperated with him, and only a few came to the meetings held in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar. On the contrary, he said, newspapers employees came in large numbers and also invited him to various occasions for exchange of views.
He proposed a criterion for speedy proceedings to facilitate an early announcement of the award. The owners supported the move but the representatives of newspaper employees opposed it, saying the hasty step might hurt the interest of employees.
Hameed Haroon of Dawn urged the government to accord proper facilities to the board for amicably performing its duties. The representatives of employees supported the demand.
The owners said the actual price increase was about 32pc during the last five years and after deducting other benefits, including annual increments, they were also to give only an 11pc rise in the interim relief. Calling the data a jugglery of statistics, the representatives of employees said the actual price hike was more than 100pc.
They maintained that the interim relief should be accorded on the basis of the actual price increase and not on the basis of the consumer price index.
APNS president Mir Shakilur Rehman, adviser to the chairman, Dr M. Irfan; PFUJ president 1.H. Rashid, APNEC chairman Abdul Hameed Chhapra, board secretary Mohammad Amir Sial and others were present.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/19/2000
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