“Stop Firing Journalists” Says Mumbai Press Club; Journalists’ Union Move SC

Several newspapers, online media outlets, and other employers in the media sector have laid off journalists or imposed huge pay cuts.

New Delhi| It is alleged that despite advisories issued by the Centre and even appeals by the PM to not terminate the services or reduce the wages of their employees, journalists have been fired from several media houses.

Live Law reported that Journalists Unions have moved SC with a Public Interest Litigation against all media houses who laid-off workers or ordered them to take pay kickbacks during the national lockdown.

“At a time when media workers are going through difficult times and confronting the coronavirus on the ground, and risking their lives to keep operations going, they have been ‘rewarded’ for their loyalty by the handing out of pink slips. These firings and closure of departments are both contrary to the due process of law, as well as a violation of the advisories put out by the Centre,” Mumbai Press Club wrote in its letter to centre.

The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment had published a circular on 20 March 2020 urging both public and private organisations not to terminate employees or reduce wages.

PM Narendra Modi, in his recent address to the country on 14 April, again reemphasised in his ‘Appeal No.6’ to businessmen and organisations not to fire their employees at the time of crisis.

Also Read: ‘Refund Passengers For Cancelled Tickets In 3 Weeks’: Centre To Airlines

Some of the closures and job losses in recent days that has been documented by Mumbai Press Club are as follows:

1. On 18th March, citing poor business viability Hamara Mahanagar shut its operation.
2. Print operations of Outlook & Forbes India were suspended on 30 March and 27 March 2020, respectively.
3. Sakal Group asked 15 journalists to resign on 31 March
4. Salary cuts were announced by Indian Express and Business Standard ranging from 30 to 50%.
5. Salary cuts announced by India Ahead News on 4 April 2020
6. The Quint asked a section of journalists to go on leave without pay, others were asked to take a salary cut on 9th & 10th April.
7. 15 journalists, entire English digital team, were laid off by News Nation & Star of Mysore suspends print operations on 12 April.
8. Owned by Dainik Jagran, Nai Duniya suspends print operations on 13 April.
9. Major groups including Times Group, HT Media, Network18 Group and India Today Group have announced pay kickbacks or abolished some emoluments and are planning to close some departments and supplements and retrenching staff to save revenue.

Jointly filed Public Interest Litigation by the National Alliance of Journalists, the Delhi Union of Journalists and the Brihan Mumbai Union of Journalists accuses employers in the media industry of taking arbitrary action despite advisories issued by the Centre and even appeals by the PM.