Team Herald
MARGAO: Daily wage workers of Margao Municipal Council (MMC), backed by Shadow Council for Margao, protested against the anomalies in the Provident Fund deductions from their wages and demanded they be given a pay slip to know how much amount is deducted.
They pointed out that since the Provident Fund deductions commenced in 2011-12 none of them know anything about Provident Fund. They are not aware how much money is being deducted nor are they aware of the amount collected over these years through the deduction.
Besides, they pointed out that since December 2017 after their wages were increased to Rs 500 per day, MMC is illegally deducting double the amount from their wages. “MMC is deducting the employee’s contribution as well as the employer’s contribution from their wages,” disclosed Savio Coutinho former MMC chairperson and Shadow Council for Margao convener.
He opined that the MMC has to return around Rs 27,000 per worker as that is the extra amount that has been deducted from the labourers’ wages. “Though the Chairperson had assured around 20 days back to address this problem, nothing has been done till date,” lamented Coutinho.
The former chairperson also pointed out that the daily wage workers who have worked for more than 5 years and are eligible for regularisation of their services, should be taken on the MMC rolls. While the daily wage workers are entitled to receive Rs 15,000 per month, the regular workers are paid Rs 40,000 per month though both do the same type of work, he alleged.
Savio also demanded that the daily wage workers be paid allowance for working on Sundays and holidays and also demanded that they be provided protective gear like gloves, masks and boots as they mostly handle waste besides demanding that their wages be paid by the 7th of the ensuing month.
Even as the daily wage workers formed a human chain around the municipal building, Savio said they may file a criminal case against the MMC for the illegal double deduction of Provident Fund contribution.
Meanwhile some Scheduled Tribe daily wage workers, who have not received their Provident Fund after their retirement, sat on a dharna at the municipal building the whole day. Bento Araujo, a retired employee said he has not received his Provident Fund despite having retired a year ago.
While disclosing that four retired workers have died without receiving their Provident Fund he said what was the use of getting the amount after their death and added that he is supposed to receive around Rs 1 lakh as Provident Fund.
