Journalists' Salary Cut : Punjab & Haryana HC Directs Labour Commissioner To Decide Complaints [Read Order]

The Union had challenged two notices dated April 24, 2020 and May 1, 2020, issued by the management for permanently reducing the wages/salaries of its employees, citing Covid-19.

It is the case of the Petitioner that the impugned notices were in violation of the provisions of Industrial Disputes Act and; Working Journalist and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955.

It was submitted that despite various representations made before the Tribune Trust as well as Labour Department, Chandigarh, no steps were taken to mitigate their grievances. Representations were also made before the Finance Secretary, Chandigarh as well as the Union of India, but to no avail.

The matter was placed before the single-Judge bench of Justice Arun Monga who directed the Labour Commissioner, Chandigarh to consider the representations objectively and take a decision thereon in accordance with the law.

"Without commenting on the merits of the case, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to respondent No.2/Deputy Commissioner, U.T., Chandigarh, who is also the Labour Commissioner, Department of Labour, Chandigarh, to objectively consider the complaints/emails of the petitioner and also by keeping in view the averments contained in the present writ petition by treating it as a representation, and pass an appropriate order in accordance with law, as it may deem fit," the court ordered.

Case Details:

Case Title: The Tribune Trust Employees Union, Chandigarh v. Union Territory, Chandigarh & Ors.

Case No.: CWP No.7374/2020 (O&M)

Quorum: Justice Arun Monga

Appearance: Advocate Sanjeev Gupta (for Petitioner); Advocate Pankaj Jain(for UT Chandigarh); Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain with Advocate Dheeraj Jain (for Union of India)

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