Journalist wage boards award expected in May 2010: Centre - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Union Minster of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the Centre has constituted two wage boards, one for Working Journalists and the other for Non-Journalist Newspaper Employees in 2007 and are expected to give report in May 2010. In a written reply Rawat stated: "The Wage Boards consists of three persons representing employers in relation to newspaper establishment common to the two wage boards." "Three persons representing working journalists for Wage Board under Section 9 and three persons representing non-journalist newspaper employees for wage board. Four independent persons common to the two wage boards, one of who has been appointed as Chairman," he added. He also informed the Upper House of the parliament that the wage boards have been given three years to submit their reports by May 2010. "Prime responsibility for implementation of wage boards' awards lies with state governments, who are the appropriate body for the implementation of the awards," Rawat informed the members. However, he assured the members that Central Government would constitute a monitoring committee under the Chairmanship of Labour and Employment Adviser to monitor the implementations of the wage boards' awards in the states and union territories.