Pay minimum wages or face action, Karnataka government warns departments

BENGALURU: Karnataka’s Labour Department has issued a circular to all departments, public sector undertakings, universities, boards and corporations to pay salaries to the housekeeping staff, security guards, manual scavengers and other contract staff as per the latest minimum wages fixed by the government, failing which action will be initiated against those responsible.

The circular stresses on minimum wages to be paid to the workers who are working on a contract basis for various government and government undertaking agencies and follow the guidelines issued on working hours, leave, payment of ESI and Provident Fund. The guidelines should also be followed by agencies that supply manpower to these departments.

These include security personnel hired through security agencies, and scavengers working with urban local bodies and the panchayat raj department. Officials say that despite the guidelines, the department is receiving complaints from various sectors on minimum wages not being paid or delay in payment. “Agencies that do not fall in line will be blacklisted”, said a senior official from Labour Department.

The state government revised minimum wages for 82 categories that come under working class which include agriculture labourers, tailors, scavengers, gardeners and weavers. The minimum wages are fixed once in five years. This year, it was done in the last week of July. As per the latest revision, it varies from Rs 14,000 to Rs 18,000 per month.

The circular stresses on eight-hour working hours. If the employers extract work less than eight hours a day, they have the provision to pay wages on an hourly basis. If the workers are made to work for more than eight hours, they should be paid more for every extra hour. Also, in a month, workers should be given leave for four days. If the employers make the workers work on their days of leave, they should be compensated.

The circular adds that the salaries/wages should be paid by the 5th of every month. Also, the employer should pay their share of ESI and Provident Fund to the workers every month and records of the same should be maintained. Employers have also been directed to adopt a bio-metric attendance system for their workers.