Govt raises minimum wage, announces bonus to avert September 2 strike

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: In a bid to dissuade trade unions from going ahead with their proposed nationwide general strike on September 2, government on Tuesday accepted the advisory board recommendations on minimum wage and bonuses.

The government has agreed to hike the minimum wage at Rs 350 a day for non-agricultural workers against Rs 246 now. It will also give bonus at revised rates to central government employees for two years.

Interacting with reporters, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the bonus for 2014-15 and 2015-16 will be paid to central government employees based on revised norms. The Bonus Amendment Act will be implemented "strictly".

He gave an assurance that the government will also take necessary steps to resolve the cases on payment of bonus pending in high courts and the Supreme Court.

The likely financial implications of the bonus move translate into Rs 1,920 crore per annum.

The decision was taken following deliberations at the meeting of the Minimum Wage Advisory Board under the chairmanship of the labour minister for revising the basic minimum wages in the central sphere.

The registration of the contract workers and their staffing agencies is mandatory and states will be advised to strictly implement the same, the finance minister said.

As many as 10 central trade unions have given a call for a one-day pan-India strike on September 2, 2016, to protest against the government's labour reforms and "not paying heed to their demands".

A five-member ministers' panel on labour issues, chaired by Jaitley, was formed to talk to the central trade unions (CTUs) over the 12-point charter of demands.

Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya are part of the panel, had held extensive consultations and meetings with senior Labour Ministry officials over the proposed countrywide strike.