Workers demand minimum salary of 18,000 a month

Ongole: The workers of different trades, including employees in industries, shops, lorry transport, beedi rolling, poultry and housemaids, demanded the State government revise the pay scale and announce a minimum salary of Rs 18,000 per month.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions staged a protest in front of the Collectorate on Thursday and submitted a memorandum to the Collector and demanded that the government address the issue immediately.

Secretary of CITU Prakasam district Ch Srinivasa Rao, said, “As per the Minimum Wages Act, the government should revise the salaries in each Schedule for every five years.

There are 65 employments in Schedule 1, but salaries for 54 of them were not revised for years. Though the remaining 11 were revised, the industries managements in the leadership of TDP MP Galla Jayadev went to the High Court against it and brought a stay order. The government didn’t vacate those petitions.

The Central government has agreed for the minimum salary of Rs 18,000 as per the Supreme Court orders and approved the recommendation of 7th Pay Commission.

We are demanding the State government implement the recommendations of the Supreme Court and Pay Commission and take stringent action against the managements which do not respect the orders.”