Delhi Calling- Agitation from November 9

Appeal
The United News of India Workers Union, Delhi, is all set to launch a fresh agitation from November 9 , 2009 on various issues. We request all the state unions of the UNI employees to undertake similar agitation to press for our immediate demands . A detailed note on the concerned issues is being posted on this blog for information and necessary actions by all the unions and other individual employees.

Rajesh Kumar
General Secretary, UNI Workers Union , Delhi
&
National Convener, UNI Employees National Joint Action Council(UNI-EN-JAC)

NOTICE

UNI WORKERS UNION
9, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001

October 29, 2009

Mr. A. K. Bhandari
Chief Editor and General Manager,
United News of India, 9, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001

Sub: Notice for launching of agitation.
Sir,

In continuation of our earlier letters about our legitimate and long-pending demands, including timely and simultaneous disbursement of salary to all the staff across the country, immediate payment of all the statutory dues and implementation of Interim Award of the Wage Boards, which the management has already acceded ‘in principle’, we would like to inform you that the executive committee of the UNI Workers Union, Delhi, has decided to launch a peaceful agitation to press for these demands as the company management has failed to respond to our concerns.

The executive, in its meeting on October 28, 2009, expressed strong objection over the company management’s illegal ways of delaying disbursement of salary for almost three months even without putting up a notice on the office notice boards, withholding our LTA, leave encashment and other statutory dues for last three years, and other unfair labour practices in running of the organisation.

There are certain other crucial issues that are bound to mar not only the interests of the staff but also very survival of this news agency. On these issues your intervention is immediately required so as to prevent the organisation from languishing further.

The Union also expressed deep dissatisfaction over the visible apathy on part of the original promoters, share-holders and their representatives on the Board of Directors (BoD) and the local management headed by the General Manager.The G.M. has already completed one year in office while almost six months have elapsed after the final exit of dreaded Mediavest Pvt. Ltd.of Mr. Subhash Chandra, and yet there appears to be no sense of urgency in mitigating the continuing woos of 800-strong employees and making the news agency financially viable. Not only have the Management and the BoD miserably failed on the both the counts, but also they even seem to be oblivious and ignorant of the arduous task ahead.

The entire workforce of the news agency is reeling under a salary crisis for at least two years now. Employees have not been paid their fringe benefits -- bonus, LTA, Casual Leave Encashment, etc -- for the past three years and the accumulated arrears of employees on these counts have already crossed the half of the sum (i.e. Rs. 32.04 crores) for which the UNI was sought to be handed over to the corporate poacher. It is a situation akin to famine, the incidence of which has become rarer since Independence. There is a similar sense of despondency and despair amongst the entire workforce.

We have been highlighting issues relating to the problem of salaries and have, at times, attributed this to sheer apathy on part of original promoters of the agency, particularly ABP, which together with The Hindu, Manipal Media Network and Mysore Printers Ltd, fought out the take-over bid and on whom the CLB in its verdict dated Jan 21, 2008, bestowed the responsibilities of taking care of financial well being of the company. The illegal and obnoxious bid was aimed at turning this great democratic institution into a shop of a corporate giant. We certainly owe gratitude for their legal battle against this agenda.

United News of India (UNI), ever since its inception 45 years back, has been a critical part of the development process of the nation. And you would agree that the control by any single individual would have proved a threat not only to the freedom of press but the also to the future of democracy itself. The Union wants to reiterate that the present situation would only prove detrimental for the existance of the agency.

The UNI Workers Union, Delhi, and the all India body of the employees, UNI-EN-JAC, won’t and can’t be a silent spectator of the present sorry state of affairs. In the face of proven inaction in the direction to revive the company, we have no option but to launch an agitation for our demands. The Union executive also resolved to approach the Labour Office and other relevant departments and functionaries of the Government in this regard.

Sir, you are well aware that the Union Government had notified Justice Kurup Wage Boards interim recommendations vide its gazette notifications F. No. V-24032/6/2007-WB, way back on October 24, 2008. Moreover, you have already agreed ‘in- principal’ to implement it. We, therefore, demand according revision of the scales forthwith. We are also enclosing a detailed charter of demands, duly endorsed by the General Body Meeting (GBM) called on Monday, October 26, 2009 at headquarters.

We once again request you to pay heed to the law of the land and collective will of the employees by immediately accepting our demands. We will be forced to initiate a ‘direct nation-wide action’ if we donot get a positive response from your side within 14 days, and the responsibility for such a situation would lie solely with the management.
Regards.
(Rajesh Kumar)
General Secretary
UNI Workers Union Delhi
Incl: Charter of Demands
Copy to:
Chairman, BoD
Members, BoD
Labour Minister, Govt. of India
Information and Broadcasting Minister, Govt. of India
Labour mnister, Govt. of NCT Delhi
Labour Commissioner, Govt. of NCT Delhi

Charter of Demands


The General Body Meeting (GBM) of the United News of India Workers Union, Delhi, held on October 26, 2009 at headquarters, resolved to initiate DIRECT ACTIONS in case the Company management fails to meet following demands of the employees within 14 days.

1. Salary
The Union demands the management to immediately stop its unfair labour practice of causing extraordinary delays in disbursement of salary to the UNI Staff for close to four months. We demand the management to disburse salary to all the employees across the country on time, simultaneously and without any discrimination against any employee. The least expected from the management is to put up a proper notice on the office notice board about the salary position every month, as per the law of the land, if it is unable to disburse salary by 7th day of the month.

2. LTA, leave encashment and ex-gratia
The Union also demands payment of all statutory dues such as Leave Travel Allowance (LTA), for the last some years, leave encashment for the year 2008-09 and ex-gratia payments at the rate of 20 per cent of basic salary pending since 2005-06.

3. Interim Relief

The Union also demands implementation of Interim Award of the Justice Kurup Wage Boards. The management has accepted ‘in principle’ the Union’s demand to implement Interim Awards of giving 30 per cent hike in the basic wages, duly notified by Government of India via its notifications (F. No. V- 24032/6/2007- WB on October 24, 2008). The management, however, in an illegal way has been showing the earnings in the Interim Relief column of the employee’s pay slip as nil.

4) Promotion
We take strong exception to the General Manager’s contention that now every promotion will be based on performance rather than seniority. Maintaining the seniority of the employees is sacrosanct for the Union and it would take all requisite steps to preserve the seniority.

5) Transfer
All those employees, who were transferred on mala-fide grounds, be sent back and no transfers should be made without explicit consent of the concerned individual. Suitable amendments should made in this regard in the Standing Orders for the UNI Employees in consultations with our representatives.

6) Harassment
We condemn coutinuing harassment of some of our colleagues for their role in the movement against the bid to sell majority share of UNI to the Mediavest Pvt. Ltd. and demand immediate withdrawal of the vindictive measures against them and also all litigations against the employees and their unions.

7) Clear Hierarchy & Line of Succession
Restoration of the posts of one Deputy Chief Editor & Deputy General Manager and two Assistant Chief Editors & Assistant General Managers, one Chief Financial Officer, one Chief Technology Officer and one Chief Estate Officer with a clear hierarchy and line of succession.

8) Mismanagement of UNI Property
We demand the Board to institute a special probe into the mismanagement of UNI property, including the Buildings in Hyderabad, Benglore and Bhopal and immediate freezes on selling or transferring of our immovable assets.

9) The employee’s arrears
The Union demands the management to give a written note within 14 days to each and every employee about their outstanding with the Company as on this date, i. e. October 26, 2009.

10) Expert Committee
We request the UNI Board to form an Expert Committee, consisting of the employee’s representatives also, to suggest ways and means to strengthen and harness revenue potential of all its services and chalk out a short-term and a long-term strategy to revive the organization.

11) Amendments in the UNI MoA
We urge the UNI Board to bring suitable amendments into its Memorandum of Association (MoA) to maintain non-monopolistic and independent character of this section 25 Company and also to ensure continuing subscription and other financial support from its promoters on the pattern of the provisions made in Press Trust of India. We demand that two elected representative of the employees should be co-opted on the UNI Board with voting rights. To press this demand we already pointed out the minutes of the first UNI Board meeting which had desired representation of the employees on the Board.

12) Independent Director
Two independent directors on the Board be nominated from prominent public figures and one of them should be from judicial domain.


PROTEST AGAINST PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH CREED ROOM

UNI WORKERS UNION

9, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001

Cell. 9810812167



November 4, 2009


Mr. A. K. Bhandari

Chief Editor and General Manager,

United News of India,

9, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001


Sub: Regarding your circular dated Nov. 3 about creed rooms

Sir,

The UNI Workers Union, Delhi, today at an emergency meeting after talks with the staff members of concerned department decided to reject the content of the circular sent by the management regarding doing away of the creed rooms. It also took strong exception of the manner in which the management took the decision having far reaching implications for hundreds of employees working in the departments concerned, without taking either the Union or even the departmental heads into confidence.

We want to make it abundently clear that the circular left more than 250 employees in the state of shock and panic all-over, and it would certainly not serve the purpose of betterment of the ailing news agency. Although we donot reject the redeployment route for gainful use of employees, but it can be taken only by a proper consultation with their representatives and any unilateral action in this regard is bound to evoke angry reactions.

The Union demands the withdrawal of the circular forthwith and warns the management that in the best interest of cordial industrial atmosphere in this turbulent phase, it should desist from any such misadventure in future.

Regards

(Rajesh Kumar)

General Secretary