HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) on Wednesday urged the Wage Board for Working Journalists to recommend creation of permanent machinery to implement its recommendations. D. Somasundar, APUWJ president, said the present implementation machinery of the State Labour Department was unequal to the task leading to non-implementation of the recommendations of the past wage boards for the large number of working journalists working in various media organisations across the State.

A. Anjaneyulu, president, AP Newspaper Employees’ Federation, presenting the case of non-journalist employees of newspaper industry in the State, said the board should recommend abolition of contract employment and outsourcing in newspaper establishments.

The Federation demanded introduction of five-day week for non-journalist employees and night duty allowance in the lowest class enhanced to Rs.150, without any cap on it. He pleaded for a special allowance of 10 per cent of the basic pay to those working in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.