Labour groups, trade unions seek ₹26,000 monthly minimum wage in Raj

Jaipur: Trade unions, labour organisations and people’s groups Thursday demanded a substantial hike in Rajasthan’s minimum wages and announced the formation of a joint struggle front to push for workers’ rights amid rising inflation and worsening livelihood conditions.

At a state-level conference held at Rajasthan Samagra Seva Sangh in Durgapura, representatives from nearly 30 organisations passed four resolutions, including a demand to raise the minimum wage to Rs 26,000 per month to ensure a dignified standard of living for workers and their families.

The conference also sought regular revision of Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) and demanded that actual inflation and cost of living be factored into wage determination. Participants passed a resolution calling for minimum wages to be revised every six months in line with inflation.

The organisations further proposed the constitution of a “Janta Ka Mazdoor Aayog” (People’s Labour Commission), comprising worker representatives, trade unions and labour experts, to recommend living wages to the govt.

All participating unions and labour organisations also decided to form the “Rajasthan Nyuntam Mazdoori Sangharsh Morcha” (Rajasthan Minimum Wage Struggle Front) to coordinate future statewide campaigns and struggles on issues related to wage hikes, VDA review and living wages.

Speakers at the conference alleged that Rajasthan has some of the lowest minimum wage rates in the country despite rising prices of food, healthcare, education, rent and transport. They pointed out that states such as Delhi, Kerala, Haryana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana offer significantly higher minimum wages.

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan founder Nikhil Dey said minimum wage was not merely an economic issue but a matter of dignity and constitutional equality. CITU Rajasthan president Ravindra Shukla called the current wage structure “anti-worker” and urged unions to intensify collective pressure on the govt.