GCW demands revised minimum wages
Threatens state-wide agitation
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MAY 5
The federation of the Goa Convention for Workers on Wednesday has threatened of a State-wide agitation if the revised minimum wages are not implemented within a fortnight.
The workers have said that the agitation will take place either in form of a march in protest at Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s residence or a walk in at Secretariat in Porvorim or in any other democratic way.
“The workers will use all the democratic means if the notification is not implemented in next fifteen days,” Raju Mangeshkar, general secretary GCW told reporters today.
“The workers will come out with big action on part of government failure. The agitation will mostly take place before chief minister’s residence or we might march towards Secretariat. We won’t give the exact means of agitation….let them see what we can do. Unless we come out on road in a big way, the government won’t wake up,” Mangeshkar added.
Goa government on March 11, 2010 revised minimum wages from Rs 103 to Rs 150 a day, for different categories of skilled and unskilled labour in the State, which was termed as ‘too little, too late’ by the convention.
“Our actual demand was to revise minimum wages to Rs 275 but the State government came out with their own rates. It has been almost more than a month now since the order has been passed, but the State government is not showing any interest towards its notification. We are still being paid Rs 103 per day,” he stated.
Though, the government has said that the new wages will come into force from December 24, 2009, the Union demands it from August 2009.
President of Goa Raj Karmachari Maha Sangh (GRKMS) Putu Gaonkar said that government is running away from its responsibilities. “Inspite of being the costliest State in the country, the workers here have to cry for wages. States like Delhi is paying Rs 203 a day to its workers. Similarly, other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh where cost of living is much low as compared to Goa, has already increased the wage rates,” he stated.
He informed that several workers from Verna Industrial Estate have left the job as the wages are not enough for their livelihood.
“More than 95 per cent of workers in Goa are unorganised and they are paid Rs 103 per day. More than 80 per cent of workers throughout the State are contract labourers, who have to work for nearly 12 hours a day for entire year, without availing of single leave or off,” Subhash Naik Jorge, union member said.
The convention alleged that the State government and labour machinery are ‘hand and glove’ with employers lobby and a deliberate attempt is made to delay the implementation of the notification.
Meanwhile, in a recent Writ Petition filed by M/s Rich Audio System operating from Verna Industrial Estate and Prakash Colour Cartoon Industries, based in Corlim Industrial Estate before the High Court have challenged revision of wages claiming that the government has not followed the mandatory procedure.
“The State government did not go as per the recommendations of the sub-committee on minimum wages for revising the minimum wages in Goa and instead hiked the minimum wages above 45 per cent while disregarding the norms for fixation as per the Minimum Wages Act, they have pointed out,” states the petitions.
