Following protests by factory workers in Noida on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday announced an interim hike in minimum wages for skilled and semi-skilled labourers, The Hindu reported.
The revised interim wage rates, effective retrospectively from April 1, set the minimum monthly pay at Rs 13,690 for unskilled workers, up from Rs 11,313. The pay for semi-skilled workers was increased to Rs 15,059 and Rs 16,868 for skilled workers in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad.
In other municipal corporation areas, wages have been fixed at Rs 13,006 for unskilled workers, Rs 14,306 for semi-skilled workers and Rs 16,025 for skilled workers. The amounts will be Rs 12,356, Rs 13,591 and Rs 15,224 in the remaining districts.
The revision followed discussions between the state labour department, industry representatives and worker groups after protests over wages and working conditions escalated on Monday, The Indian Express reported.
The government also clarified that claims on social media of a uniform Rs 20,000 minimum wage were incorrect.
However, PTI quoted workers as saying that the revised rates remained insufficient and demanded further hikes.
One worker, Awdhesh Mishra, was quoted as saying that the protest would continue until their wage demands were met.
“We work 12 hours, but don’t get the salary accordingly,” he said. “What will we eat and save? We want salary between Rs 18,000 to Rs 20,000.”
Another worker, Soni Singh, said that companies have stopped providing food, and noted that liquefied petroleum gas cylinders have become costlier, PTI reported.
“We work for 12-14 hours but they give overtime of just 3 hours,” she said. “We want Rs 20,000 salary.”
More than 350 arrested, say police
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested more than 350 persons in connection with the workers’ protest, ANI reported.
Gautam Buddh Nagar Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Rajeev Narain Mishra told the news agency that several persons had misused social media to allegedly spread rumours and misinformation.
The arrests took place a day after the protests in Noida turned violent. Videos widely shared on social media on Monday showed some protesters throwing stones and vandalising property, as security personnel tried to bring the situation under control.
Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh said that in the past two days, several WhatsApp groups had been created using quick response, or QR, codes to add workers, The Indian Express reported. This indicated the possible role of an organised network, the newspaper quoted Singh as saying.
The police officer said that “certain elements within the crowd involved in such acts [of violence]” had been arrested, adding that more persons will be held.
“Their funding sources will also be investigated; should it be discovered that they received financial assistance from outside the state or the country, appropriate action will be initiated in that regard as well,” she added.
Singh said that route marches had been conducted on Tuesday morning. Workers had gathered at three locations and “were peacefully dispersed within just 15 minutes” after a dialogue with the authorities, she added.
Six arrested in Haryana over labour protests
In neighbouring Haryana’s Manesar, six men were arrested on Monday for allegedly inciting violence during a workers’ strike on April 9 at the Industrial Model Township, The Hindu reported.
Those arrested have been identified as Akash, Harish Chand, Pintu Kumar, Raju Singh, Shyambir and Ajit Singh.
According to the Gurugram Police, they were among the key conspirators behind incidents of vandalism, arson, throwing of stones and assaults on company staffers and police personnel during the strike.
According to investigators, digital evidence, including WhatsApp chats, suggested a planned effort to provoke unrest, including discussions about using petrol bombs, The Indian Express reported.
“The investigation further revealed that most of the arrested individuals are not labourers and have no professional association with the companies in Gurugram,” an unidentified officer told the newspaper. “They are accused of infiltrating the strike to incite workers toward violence.”
The protests in Uttar Pradesh began last week after the Haryana government increased monthly minimum wages to Rs 19,000 from Rs 14,000. The minimum wage in Uttar Pradesh was Rs 13,000 before the protests.
You’ve read Scroll.
Now help sustain it
Scroll is funded by readers, not corporate owners. If you believe our work matters, support our newsroom. Become a member today!
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!