Hyderabad/ Chandigarh, 11 February, 2026: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU), the biggest trade union and professional organization of working journalists in the country has extended its support to the General strike called by all central trade unions and associations protesting against the four Labour Codes enacted by the Union Government.
In a statement issued by K. Sreenivas Reddy, President and Balwinder Singh Jammu, Secretary General of IJU expressed serious concern over the replacement of 29 existing labour laws including working journalists act with the four Labour Codes, stating that the move has weakened statutory protections available to workers across sectors, including media employees. The Union believes that the new Codes dilute hard-won labour rights, undermine collective bargaining, and adversely impact job security and social security benefits, they lamented.
The IJU particularly condemned the abolition of the Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, as well as the Wage Board mechanism, under the pretext of labour law consolidation. The Union asserted that these provisions were crucial in safeguarding the service conditions, wages, and professional rights of journalists and non-journalist newspaper employees.
K. Sreenivas Reddy and Balwinder Singh Jammu demanded that the Union Government immediately reinstate the Working Journalists Act and restore the Wage Board system to ensure fair wages and statutory protection for media workers.
The IJU reiterated its solidarity with the working class across the country and called upon the Government to initiate meaningful dialogue with trade unions to protect labour rights and uphold democratic principles. They have called upon all the state unions affiliated to IJU to actively participate in the programmes being organised by national trade unions on 12 February.
K. Sreenivas Reddy
President
Balwinder Singh Jammu
Secretary-General