The Hindu 09.12.2009

VMC told to pay minimum wages

Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA: The officials of Labour Department on Tuesday asked the authorities of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to pay minimum wages to contract workers and members of the self-help groups engaged in any work. The Labour Department officials further wanted the Corporation to pay to the contract workers the difference in the salary being paid now and the minimum wages prescribed by the Government without any delay. These directions were reportedly given to the VMC during an inspection undertaken by Labour officials led by Deputy Commissioner of Labour Yousuf Sheik. The team examined whether labour laws were being implemented or not.

Official sources in the VMC said that the Labour officials interacted with heads of various wings in the Corporation. They inquired about the implementation of a GO relating to mandatory payment of minimum wages to the members of self-help groups like DWCUA, CMEY, contract workers and so on. They also sought to know whether provident fund and ESI facilities were being provided to the self-help group members, as mandated by the Labour laws. It was learnt that the Corporation officials admitted that the PF and ESI facilities were not being extended to the self help group (SHG) members. But the Corporation officials suggested to the visiting team to discuss the issue with Municipal Commissioner P. S. Pradyumna. As the Commissioner was not available in the office when the team visited around 12.30 p.m., the Labour Department officials are likely to visit the VMC once again to discuss the issue with the Commissioner. The Labour Department officials are learnt to have acted on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Employees’ Union (VMCEU), affiliated to the All India Trade Union Council.

The union said more than 4,000 employees working on contract basis or as SHG members would benefit if the minimum wages were implemented, and PF and ESI facilities were extended. Tuesday’s visit was not the first by Labour officials to the VMC, as the Labour Department descended on the Corporation premises a year ago when a similar complaint was lodged by the union, VMCEU president A. Ranganayakulu said.