AAP’s labour organisation launches signature campaign

Shramik Vikas Sangthan (SVS), a labour organisaiton affiliated to Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday announced to launch a signature campaign in every state of the country to press for hike in minimum wages. The month-long campaign will be conducted from October 15 to December 14 and conclude with submission of a memorandum to the Labour minister of the state on December 15.

“We have made a historic hike the minimum wages in Delhi. The minimum wage in Delhi for unskilled labour is Rs 14,052 which is highest in the country. It’s impossible for a person to survive on the minimum wages fixed in other states,” said Gopal Rai, Delhi Labour minister speaking at a conference organised by SVS in Delhi.

 “We will ensure early implementation of this hike,” he added. The SVS claimed that the labours from 18 states including West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assom, Maharasthra participated in the labour conference. He exhorted the labours and their leaders to work for hike in minimum wages on the pattern of Delhi. “Unless the labours are happy the country can’t prosper,” argued Rai.

On the occasion he also released a hike in minimum wages despite the reservations from the industrial sector. The proposal of the hike of Delhi government is also pending for implementation as Central government has not approved it so far. According to the industry experts if applicable in Delhi alone the provision will drive away industries and labour intensive commercial sector in neighbouring NCR towns.