SHILLONG, Dec 3: The All Jaintia Muster Roll Workers and Labour Union (AJMRWLU) has announced a protest march to the Secretariat here on December 17 in response to the state government’s failure to revise the Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA), which has been due since October 1.
Additionally, the state is mandated to revise the Floor Basic Rate (FBR) every five years under the provisions of the Minimum Wage Act, 1958.
The latest FBR revision, also due on October 1, 2023, remains pending. These revisions are essential to bridge the widening gap between wages and the rising cost of living, as stipulated by law, the union pointed out.
AJMRWLU adviser KL Pariat stated that the union is compelled to put pressure on the government to address these demands, as daily wage earners are struggling due to escalating prices of essential commodities. He emphasised that the government should revise the VDA twice a year, as required by the Act. “The last minimum wage hike was in 2018, following our protest,” Pariat said.
“It seems the government expects us to protest every time we need a revision in the minimum wage,” he added, criticising the delay in addressing workers’ concerns.
