Workers’ representatives affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) protested outside the labour office at the foothills of Chamundi Hill in Mysuru on Monday, demanding strict implementation of the revised minimum wage notification and a state law to protect workers’ wage rights.
The protest was organised by CITU leaders, who also urged the Karnataka government to fulfil an assurance that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would meet representatives of the organisation to discuss minimum wages. The assurance, according to CITU, was given during an earlier protest held on September 8.
Speaking at the protest, CITU general secretary Balaji Rao said the promised meeting with the organisation’s representatives should be convened. The organisation also demanded that the government withdraw its decision to establish or continue with a cabinet subcommittee on the issue, according to the report.
The protest places the enforcement of revised minimum wages at the centre of a wider labour administration concern: a wage notification can protect workers only when employers comply and government agencies have the capacity to monitor implementation. The CITU’s demand for a separate state law indicates that the organisation is seeking a stronger legal framework for enforcing workers’ entitlements, beyond the issuance of a revised notification.
The report does not specify the revised wage rates, the sectors covered by the notification, or the number of workers affected in Mysuru. It also does not state whether the government has set a date for the proposed meeting with CITU representatives. These details will determine the practical scope of the dispute and the next steps in implementation.
CITU district president Annappa and leaders Shashikumar, Channakeshava, Kantaraju, Sunita, Latha, Kamalakshi, Sanjay Aras, Siddaraju, Raghavendra, Aravind Nagaraj, Srinivas and Shashikanth were among those present at the demonstration.
The immediate demand from the organisation is for the Chief Minister’s promised meeting to take place and for the state government to act on the enforcement of the revised minimum wage notification. No further government response was reported in the source material.
