Jaiñtia Muster Roll Workers threatens agitation over minimum wage hike, calls it unfair and insufficient

Shillong, Jan 16: The All Jaintia Muster Roll Workers & Labour Union (AJMRWLU) on Thursday threatened to go for massive agitations if the state government fails to review its recent decision to revise the floor basic rates of minimum wages in Meghalaya, which according to them does not commensurate with inflation.

In a letter to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma, AJMRWLU president Dayowanphi Iakai said, “We write to bring our dissatisfaction with the recent cabinet decision to revise the floor basic rate of minimum wages in Meghalaya. “

“The union demands a review and rectification of the revised rates and should be notified within 10 days. The current rates must be adjusted to reflect fair increments, considering the inflation rate and the base floor rate of Rs 300 revised of October 1, 2018 plus with the variable dearness allowance between 2019-2024 for all categories of work and the increased amount for new revised flood basic rate, to get the exact amount of the revised floor basic rate,” she said.

“Failure to address this matter within the stipulated period will compel us to resort to a massive agitation programme in whole of Meghalaya to assert our demands. We request your urgent intervention in this matter to ensure justice and fairness for all workers,” the president added.

In its letter, the union has pointed out that the approved rates are not in order, 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.

It said that rate increased as on October 1, 2018 is that for unskilled workers from Rs 196 to Rs 300 (increase by Rs 104), semi-skilled workers from Rs 208 to Rs 340 (increase of Rs 132), skilled workers from Rs 220 to Rs 380 (increase of Rs 160) and highly skilled workers from Rs 244 to Rs 420 (increase of Rs 176)

However, the revised floor basic rate approved by the cabinet on January 10, is that for unskilled workers from Rs 419 to Rs 525 (increase of Rs 106), semi-skilled workers from Rs 474 to Rs 565 (increase of Rs 91), skilled workers from Rs 530 to Rs 605 (increase of 75) and highly skilled workers from Rs 586 to Rs 645 (increase of 59)

“It is evident that the quantum of increase has reduced from unskilled to highly skilled categories, which is both unprecedented and unacceptable,” the union said.

“Historically, the increments have been proportionate across all categories, ensuring fairness and alignment with the nature of work and skill levels in accordance with the minimum wages Act, 1948 also taking October 1, 2023 as the effective date as floor basic rates should be revised within five years from the last date of revision,” it stated further.

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