DUJ PROTEST TO HINDUSTAN TIMES MANAGEMENT

The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) today, has written to the Hindustan Times management in Delhi, protesting its decision to fire large contingents of journalists in various parts of the country. In the opinion of DUJ, it shows that the management has no respect to the law of land with inhuman mass retrenchments resorted to from time to time.


The DUJ has called upon its members to be ready for a joint front against such acts with phased legal action combined with struggle. Letters have also been sent to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi Labour Commissioner and the central Government.

 The DUJ states that history repeats in Hindustan Times Group. In 2004, the wheels of judgement crushed about 300 press workers in utter violation of labour laws. It notes that the mandatory approval from the appropriate government that is required to retrench the employees/ workers from the industrial establishment, where the work force is more than 100 workers was violated with impunity. In the procrastinated litigation war over a dozen workers laid down their lives while waiting their legitimate dues. “W e supported them then and support them now” the DUJ added.

It also condemns the arbitrary retrenchment of seventeen journalists who are fighting it out in various courts for over a decade in Delhi. This in the opinion of the DUJ was done to flout the wage board. Now, since a new wage board is overdue such lightening actions are taking place in other states. Ironically all this is going on when the Supreme Court hearing various contempt cases on the wage board issues.