KHNAM threatens to take legal action if Govt fails to increase basic minimum wages
The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has threatened to take legal action if the state government further delay to increase the basic minimum wages to an amount justified with the current living standard as to upheld the objective of the Minimum Wages Act 1948.
“If there is any further delay, we will have to take legal action because the state government has violated section 3 (b) of the Minimum Wages Act 1948 by failing to increase the basic minimum wages even after a lapse of five years,” KHNAM working president Thomas Passah said after submitting a letter to the labour department on Wednesday.
He said the last basic hike was done way back in 2018, which has crossed the five years mandate given by the Act for increasing the basic wages for the unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly-skilled category.
“Therefore, this is unlawful and we have requested the labour department to look into the matter…and ensure the hike of basic rate is as per the market value, as per the living standard,” Passah said while adding “The labour department has informed us that they have completed their homework and they have submitted their proposal to the finance department and the matter is pending with the state government.”
“Therefore, we urge upon the government that this is an important aspect as it affects many households in the state. I think it is more important than festivals also. So urge the government to immediately look into the matter,” he added further.
On the other hand, the KHNAM also alleged that the Labour Bureau has failed to conduct a proper study on the inflation in the state before recommending the hike of the variable dearness allowance (VDA) as mandated by the Act of 1948.
“After going through the notification issued by the labour department on December 3, 2024, we have seen that they have hiked the VDA by Rs 2 and if we go by the Act of 1948, whenever a VDA is to be hiked, it has to be based on the market value and the labour bureau has to conduct a study to see the inflation rate or the daily living and based on that the labour bureau will suggest to the labour department by how much amount the VDA is to be increased, which is done on a routine practice in every six months as mandated by the Act,” he said.
“We have submitted a representation to the labour department wherein we have stated that the Rs 2 hike that they have increased this time in the VDA proves that the labour bureau has not done its study at the ground. They have not done a proper study of the inflation in the state. Therefore, we have requested the labour department to relook into this and to ensure the VDA increases will be of some help to the daily wage labourers,” Passah asserted.
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