CAT says DD News not serious about complying with its order

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has said that the Centre, the Prasar Bharati and DD News are "not serious" about complying with its directions to consider the grievances of contractual employees demanding salary and others benefits at par with regular staffers.
The principal bench of the tribunal, headed by its chairman Justice Permod Kohli, has issued notice to the authorities concerned to decide on various representations of contractual employees and posted the matter for further hearing on March 8.
The tribunal was hearing a plea by 75 contractual employees of DD News, alleging they have been "discriminated and humiliated" when compared to regular employees of the channel.

The doctrine of 'equal pay for equal work' was not being followed, they said.
The principal bench of CAT had on May 19 last year asked the authorities to decide on the representations of contractual employees within 90 days.
"The respondents (authorities) have not taken any decision within 90 days as directed and to the contrary have asked the applicants (employees) to submit the proof of parity in duties etc.," the tribunal said.

It also noted that the employees have even furnished the details about the parity of duties as well but the authorities are yet to take any action.

The petition had demanded improved pay and service conditions for contractual employees.
The tribunal had earlier noted that the employees had submitted representations to the authorities but no order had been passed till date.
The plea stated that these employees worked in "inhuman" conditions and there was "great instability".
The employees had alleged before the tribunal that all leaves except for 15 days in the year were without pay.
There are no benefits such as maternity leave, social security, insurance etc. and no risk cover for the field jobs either to male or female employees, the employees alleged.
They also claimed that they had been working with the channel for around 14 years on consolidated remuneration, without PF, medical facility, social security and annual increments. The absence of pay parity was causing financial hardships to the applicants, the plea said.