By Matters India Reporter

Mumbai, April 14, 2020: A journalists union in Mumbai on April 14 expressed shock and dismay over massive job losses among media persons in India.

“The mass retrenchments are patently illegal, grossly unethical and unbelievably inhuman, coming as they do at a time when all citizens are facing immense uncertainty and anxiety as they cope with this extraordinary situation,” says a press release from the Brihanmumbai (Greater Mumbai) Union of Journalists.

The union also decried an attempt by the Uttar Pradesh government to initiate punitive proceedings against Siddharth Varadarajan, founder editor of The Wire, online news portal, at what says is an incredibly “perilous juncture.”

The portal had carried a story on the participation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanad in a Ram Navami celebration on March 25 amid the lockdown.

A court in Ayodhya had summoned Varadarajan to appear in an Ayodhya court on April 14 in a case filed against him.

The Uttar police had accused The Wire of spreading panic with a report claiming that Adityanath had attended the Ayodhya event.

Earlier, a group of more than 200 journalists across India had condemned the First Information Report filed against Varadarajan by the Uttar Pradesh police.

The group consisting of journalists from both print and electronic media had termed it a brazen attempt to muzzle the media.

The Mumbai union terms the case as “highly condemnatory act” that sends “a chilling message to the media.

“On the other hand, there little or no action against media anchors who indulge in mischievous and inflammatory broadcasts,” the union bemoans.

It points out that the job losses and wage cuts have taken place with “impunity” in this backdrop. It lists a few media organizations that have indulged in retrenchment.

At least 16 employees of News Nation English digital team were summarily sacked on April 10 and told that their dues will be given at the end of the month.

The Times of India sacked its entire Sunday magazine team.

At least 15 employees of Sakal Times, the Marathi newspaper, were told to submit their resignations by March 31.

At least 45 members of the Quint news site were asked to proceed on leave without pay, releasing them from a non-complete clause.

The union also voices concern over summary closure of media houses, violating the Industrial Dispute Act.

Hamara Mahanagar, Hindi newspaper from Mumbai, shut down on March 18, citing “poor business viability.”

Outlook magazine and Nai Duniya suspended publication.

Citing inability to pay due to the lockdown, the Indian Express and Business Standard asked staff to take salary cuts.

All this happened despite a March 23 advisory from the federal Ministry of Labor to employers not to terminate employees, particularly casual or contractual workers, or reduce the wages of workers

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government issued a similar advisory, advising employers not to retrench workers or reduce wages.

The Mumbai journalists union says the media barons have ignored these advisories and sent out “incredible magnitude of people” to hunt for jobs at a time when people can hardly move out of their homes.

The union says the media industry, “led by prominent, cash-rich and politically powerful media houses,” has flouted the Supreme Court directives to implement the 2011 Majithia wage board award for newspaper and news agency employees.

The union has demanded withdrawal of all termination and closure notices in the media post March 15.

It wants all media employees, especially field journalists and non-journalists, and media workers be provided with personal protective equipment, testing facilities and quarantine, if necessary.

The media asserts that media houses should not indulge in unilateral decision on salary cuts or wage deferrals without consultation with their employees.

It wants the federal government to issue a mandatory directive to ensure that no job losses or wage losses take place during the Covid-19 crisis.

It also wants immediate withdrawal of the “repressive measures” against The Wire, to ensure a climate conducive for independent media.