Labour unions assert demand for minimum wage, better working conditions

STAFF REPORTER THE HINDU  BENGALURU, MAY 02, 2019 

Members of Karnataka Workers’ Union taking out May Day rally from Town Hall in Bengaluru on Wednesday. 

May Day on Wednesday saw various labour unions assert their demands for better working conditions, minimum wages, and other basic facilities in the city.

Close to 8,000 workers of the Karnataka Workers’ Union (KWU), in affiliation with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), took out a march appealing to the Centre and the State government to fix a minimum pension amount and increase the minimum wage.

The Union appealed to the Centre asking for ₹5,000 to be fixed as minimum pension from the Provident Fund.

B.N. Manjunath, General Secretary, CITU Bengaluru South District Committee, said currently, pension was variable based on salary, but the government should introduce a guaranteed minimum amount.

The Union also urged the State government to provide ₹18,000 as minimum wage to workers. At present, ₹10,000 is the current minimum wage for unskilled employees as per a 2016 State government notification, said Mr. Manjunath.

The Garment Labour Union (GLU), Bengaluru, too organised a march, demanding a minimum wage of ₹11,587, and payment of arrears of 2018-19 by the Karnataka government, Labour Department, and Union government, and legalising a minimum wage of ₹18,000 for all workers in India, including anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, sanitation workers, construction labourers, and garment labourers.