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| Headlines Vol. 3 Issue No. 31 | July 7-21, 2005 |
Labour-Government dispute ends The long-drawn dispute between labourers and the government in Arunachal Pradesh has come to end with the Cabinet agreeing to increase the wages, though not by as much as demanded by the former. After several rounds of discussions, the state government and the labour union reached a mutual understanding. Accordingly, the Cabinet yesterday decided to enhance the existing wages to a certain extent in consultation with the finance department, state Labour Minister Tatar Kipa informed. The existing wages of Rs 40 for unskilled labourers would be enhanced to Rs 55 per day, while Rs 46 for semi-skilled ones would be increased to Rs 60 and the new wages for skilled labourers would be increased to 65 from existing Rs 50, the Minister said. He adding, an additional Rs two per day for each category of labourers would be paid for interior and difficult places like Anini, Yingkiong, Mechuka, among others. With the enhancement of wages, the state government would have to bear an extra expenditure of eight crore annually over and above the Rs 54 crore being paid every year for labour wages, he said. He said, the Cabinet would also ask all the work departments to follow the directives of the state government that says labourers should get to work eight hours daily for a minimum period of 26 days in a month. Moreover, they could be shifted to any place, depending on the requirement and in case of surplus labourers in a particular department. However, they would be paid same wages in their new work sites, he added. The state government in order to avoid 'bogus' workers was contemplating issuing identity cards to all the 33,000 labourers available in the state as per official records, after completion of the head counting exercise, the Minister informed.The Cabinet also decided that there would be no re-appointment of labourers by the concerned departments after completion of their tenure depending on the physical fitness. However, any re-appointment or re-engagement of labourers would be made by the secretary, Labouer and Employment with financial concurrence from the government, he added. When asked whether the labourers would be paid for three days in the time period they were engaged in agitation, the Minister declined to comment and said the state government would decide it. Meanwhile, All Arunachal Pradesh Workers' Union (AAPWU) President J Sonam has welcomed the decision of the state Cabinet and thanked the Chief Minister and Labour Minister for the gesture.'We have accepted the new wages fixed by the government keeping in mind its financial constraints,'' he said to mediapersons while calling upon the workers to cooperate with the government. The APWU also decided to call off its proposed indefinite strike from July 30, he added. Arunachal| North East Enquirer (Headlines) | Nena Home Page | |
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