Fix wages after talks: trade union

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, January 20: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was today caught on the wrong foot by trade unions who said that the recent directive to ensure compliance of the minimum wages of Rs 169 has come “too late” as that wage was fixed way back in 2013.

Gogoi had on Saturday asked the labour department to ensure compliance of minimum wage of Rs 169.

“The minimum wage was fixed at Rs 169 in 2013 and that two–year agreement is valid till March this year. A new revised minimum wage ought to come into effect from April,” Centre of India Trade Union Deben Bhattacharyya said.

He said that the State government had already formed a committee to hold negotiations for revision of the minimum wages. “Under such circumstances, the Chief Minister cannot arbitrarily declare any minimum wage for workers on his own,” the trade union leader said. The worker unions have expressed surprise at the CM’s directive, which came after almost two years after the minimum wage of Rs 169 as fixed.

AICC tea cell chairman Bhagirath Karan said the government has formed a committee to hold negotiations with the stakeholders for revision of the minimum wages. “The negotiations are in progress. The recommendation of the committee should be accepted by the government,” Karan said.