CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday announced a wage hike for employees in cooperative and public sector sugar mills. The increase will range from Rs. 690 to Rs. 1,275 per employee and will come into retrospective effect from April 1, 2005. The move will cost the mills an additional Rs. 7.49 crore annually.

The variable dearness allowance will be merged with their basic salary and a hike ranging between Rs. 305 and Rs. 395 will be given, depending on their post. For each six years of service, an additional increment, ranging from Rs. 35 to Rs. 460, will be added to the basic pay. The maximum number of additional increments will be four.

The present HRA ranges from Rs. 140 to Rs. 240. This will be hiked to between Rs. 380 and Rs. 540. Medical allowance will be hiked from Rs. 150 to Rs. 225 and washing allowance from Rs. 45 to Rs. 60.

The wage hike will be for five years. The amount due from April 1, 2005, will be given as a lump sum. The earlier agreement expired on March 31, 2003.

For the period from then to April 1, 2005, a goodwill amount ranging between Rs. 8,250 and Rs. 20,600 will be given to the employees. This will cost the mills Rs. 14.5 crore.

The 16 mills in the cooperative and public sector employ 4,100 permanent employees and 2,700 seasonal workers.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail