The All Jaintia Muster Roll Workers and Labour Union (AJMRWLU) today vowed to stage protests if the state government fails to reconsider the recent revision of minimum wages in Meghalaya.
AJMRWLU president Dayowanphi Iakai said that the union has written to the Chief Minister expressing dissatisfaction with the recent decision of the cabinet to revise minimum wages of workers in the state, saying that the hikes are not sufficient.
“The union demands that the rates should be revised and a public notice should be issued within 10 days,” she said.
The union in its letter to the CM stated that the approved rates are not commensurate with inflation and do not account for the proper base floor rate, which should have been Rs. 300 per day as of 2018, instead of Rs 419 for 2024.
The union wants the current rates to be adjusted to reflect fair increments, considering the inflation rate and the base floor rate of Rs 300 revised as of October 1, 2018.
Iakai also said that failure of the government to take action on this issue in a timely manner will lead them to hold protests to enforce their demands.
“We request you to take immediate action on this issue to ensure that there is justice and equal pay for all employees,” said the president, adding that, historically, the increase has to be gradual at all levels to ensure that there is no discrimination and to be in accordance with the Minimum Wages Act 1948.
According to Iakai, October 1 should be the date from when the revised wages should take effect and wages should be reworked every five years.
Last week the cabinet raised the wages of highly-skilled workers from Rs 586 to Rs 645 per day, skilled workers will now get Rs 605 instead of Rs 530, the wages of semi-skilled workers were revised to Rs 565 from Rs 474, while unskilled workers will get Rs 525 instead of Rs 419 per day.
