Left unions irked over delay in fixing minimum wages for textile workers
Staff Reporter
TIRUPUR: Concerned over the delay in bringing textile mills in the State under the Minimum Wages Act, the left trade unions on Wednesday urged the Tamil Nadu Government to act fast to protect the interests of thousands of young women workers.
Stating that there was no tangible progress in putting an end to the “modern day bonded labour system”, Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) state general secretary A. Soundararajan said they would initiate a movement in October urging the Government to act swiftly. The young women workers, mostly from rural hamlets, who worked in these mills got a meagre wage of Rs. 30 to Rs. 55 a day for 12-hour work, alleged Mr. Soundararajan.
“The Government has issued a preliminary notification on fixing of minimum wages for textile workers. But, the Government has not acted fast in declaring minimum wages for the industry and making it statutory,” he said.
The CITU leader wanted the Government to ensure that only 10 per cent of the total workforce could work as trainees or apprentices under the Industrial Establishment Standing Orders Act against the present system of running a mill without a single permanent worker.
These steps would help the unions in fighting for the genuine rights of the workers.
Coimbatore MP and All India Trade Union Congress leader K. Subbarayan urged the Government to abolish “bonded labour system”.
He demanded that the Government declare the camp coolie system, which offered around Rs. 25,000 for marriage assistance for girls on their completion of three-year service, as unlawful. Terming the system a worst form of exploitation, Mr. Subbarayan said the system was not in vogue in traditional textile mills but rampant in the new generation mills across the State. “The workers do not enjoy any statutory privilege such as Provident Fund, ESI and job permanency after completion of 480 days of service. The hard-won rights of the working class are denied to them in the mills and the Government’s handling of the inhuman practice is not satisfactory,” Subbarayan said.
MP said the department’s action to uphold the statutory rights of the workers in this industry was an eye-wash.
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