Shillong, July 24: The Workers Power of Meghalaya (WPM), a federation of different unions and associations along with Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) suggested that revision of minimum wage should be based on actual cost of living in the state.

In a memorandum submitted to Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Labour, Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday, the WPM said that the revision of minimum wage should be based on actual cost of living in the state by using the Meghalaya Pay Commission’s formula for wages of lowest grade government employees.

It said that its proposed calculation took into consideration bare minimum cost of living per month for a single worker (including her spouse and two children) to provide 2700 calories per capita per day including clothing, hygiene and education. “It works out to approximately Rs 14,000 per month in urban areas and Rs 10,500 in rural areas,” the WPM said.

This was also in response to the draft proposal published in the Gazette of Meghalaya with regards to the revision of minimum wages in the state.

It was proposed that Rs 300 for unskilled, Rs 340 for semi-skilled, Rs 380 for skilled and Rs 420 for highly skilled.

The NGO also said that the Skill Classification should be based on Objective criterion like experience and qualification and they also demanded  that upgradation should automatically happen every 5 years.

The TUR also demanded that all establishments in Meghalaya that fall under Central Sphere should pay wages according to Central Sphere minimum wage  and Meghalaya Government should issue immediate notification regarding this.

“The notification should include a warning regarding the ‘immediate implementation of the Minimum Wage Order failing which the defaulting entity has to pay interest plus arrears to the worker as well as being fined,” the response said while asking the Government to make Minimum Wage Board more representative by inducting representative from Workers’ Power and its associated Trade Unions.

Later, TUR leader, Angela Rangad said that the Deputy Chief Minister was positive about all the demands made by the group.