Radio jockeys (RJs) engaged on contract with the All-India Radio (AIR) Bengaluru have alleged they haven’t been paid for over 5 months now. RJs complain that they haven’t been paid since March 2023, over and above wage for 2 months June and December 2022, being withheld to at the present time.
A senior RJ, who has labored for over 10 years with AIR-Bengaluru and wished to remain nameless, stated whereas there was no scarcity of funds, non-payment of salaries was resulting from lack of coordination between officers, which began from 2021 after the merger of Amruthavarshini native channel, devoted to classical music, with the nationwide Ragam channel.
“The mergers have led to chaos within the administration, which has additionally impacted fee of salaries,” the RJ stated. It should be famous that AIR-Bengaluru Medium Wave channel was merged with FM Rainbow channel on July 19.
Round 90% of the RJs working at AIR-Bengaluru are contract workers. Contractual RJs are being supplied work for a most of six days monthly not exceeding about 76 days per 12 months. AIR raises a contract for as of late, which needs to be accepted by the RJs and funds are made each two months. Although contracts have been raised and RJs have accepted them for the interval from March to July, funds haven’t been made but.
“Many people rely on these salaries for our lives and non-payment for 5 months has made our lives tough,” a RJ stated.
RJs have additionally misplaced their June and December salaries for 2022, allegedly owing to the negligence of the authorities. “Authorities didn’t elevate contracts for these two months in any respect, regardless of a number of representations. Since now the monetary 12 months of 2022-23 has ended we have now misplaced hope how AIR can pay the salaries for these two months. Officers have promised to pay them as arrears, however we haven’t obtained it but,” a RJ stated.
“Lack of coordination amongst officers is the principle cause for non-payment of salaries to RJs and different points at AIR-Bengaluru. There isn’t any coordination between the Broadcasting and Finance Division officers. After we strategy senior officers, they blame us saying we have now made some errors, which we’re able to right. However our salaries haven’t come by but,” a senior RJ stated.
Shankar Narayan, Programme Head of AIR-Bengaluru, stated, “There isn’t any scarcity of cash to pay salaries. The general public have been paid their salaries for the months of June and July. There are some technical issues about RJs signing contracts. All recordsdata from our aspect concerning fee of wage to RJs have been despatched to the Finance Division. We are going to focus on this with our superiors and motion will probably be taken for fast launch of wage”.