Govt rubbing salt on DRWs’ wounds, violating Min Wages Act: Som Nath

Senior Trade Union leader, Som Nath addressing press conference at Udhampur on Thursday.
Senior Trade Union leader, Som Nath addressing press conference at Udhampur on Thursday.

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Mar 2: Alleging that JKUT Government was indulging in violation of Minimum Wages Act, Jal Shakti (PHE) Employees and Workers Association (Udhampur), president and senior Trade Union leader- Som Nath today said that increasing mere Rs 11 per day wages of all the categories of Daily Rated Workers (DRWs) was total violation and like rubbing salt on the wounds of poor workers.
Addressing a press conference here today, Som Nath said that UT Administration has recently given hike of just Rs 11 per day of the wages of skilled, semi-skilled and other categories of the workers engaged in all the Government departments and Local Bodies. The rate of wages being given in J&K is not equivalent to UT of Delhi, or others. Moreover, workers have not been categorized. He said this is clear violation of the Minimum Wages Act and J&K Labour Commissioner and other Independent agencies must take cognizance of it.
The Trade Union leader pointed out that while LG Administration in Ladakh recently increased Rs 100 wages of daily rated workers, the J&K UT Administration has given a hike of just Rs 11 which is cruel joke with the hapless workers. It is just like rubbing salt on the wounds of poor workers who are struggling since long for their wages. He pointed out that PHE workers are demanding their 70 months pending wages. It comes out to be in cores. This Rs 11 hike appears to be just interest of that money lying with the Government for the last more than a decade. He said today private labourers are getting Rs 600 per day and the government is paying just peanut amount, which is shameful. He demanded a hike of Rs 100 per day.
Som Nath demanded release of pending wages of PHE daily rated and other workers, regularization of daily rated ITI/CP/ land case workers, implement Minimum Wages Act properly in J&K, conduct of DPC of all categories of employees in PHE/ Jal Shakti Department, remove shortage of staff in offices and water stations, release DA of the employees and clear pending dues of the employees retired during last one year as they are moving from pillar to the post for their hard earned money.
He was accompanied by Vijay Kumar, Suraj Parkash, Dinesh Kesar, Parath Singh, Baldev Raj and others.