Despite the demand of all the unions in the 44th Indian Labour Conference, no decision was taken by the Government to fix the minimum wage at Rs.10,000.The employers of course opposed it. But it is for the government to take the decision.

Look to the following facts. These employers who say that they can’t pay the minimum wage of Rs.10,000 to the workers are paying themselves, to their CEOs, CMDs, MDs and top management personnel, lakhs and in some cases crores of rupees . They are spending crores for their air-travels in first class and executive class. They are living in multi-storeyed bungalows and spending crores for club membership etc. at the company’s expenses. All kinds of fringe benefits are extended to the top personnel.

But when it comes to the bare minimum wages for the ordinary worker, they refuse to pay. It is the inability, or rather the unwillingness,  of the government that is the cause for the denial of minimum wage to the toiling worker. This has to be changed.