Gurgaon witnessed twin protests at two factories on Thursday, with workers alleging that the Haryana government's revised minimum wage order was being violated and that years of experience, skill levels, and overtime were being ignored in pay packages.
Protests at Udyog Vihar and Narsingpur
At a leather goods unit in Udyog Vihar, around 200 workers went on strike and staged a sit-in inside the premises. They accused the management of collapsing all worker categories—helpers, unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled—into a single wage bracket, denying them the differentiated pay mandated under the revised structure.
Kamlesh Kumar, a worker at the factory, said employees had repeatedly requested the company to implement the 35% hike in minimum wages announced by the state, but were ignored. “Officials are telling us to either work on the same pay or leave. How can we leave? We have EMIs and rent to pay,” he added.
Other workers said the dispute extended beyond basic wages. Md Tabrez alleged that labourers were being made to work 12 to 16 hours a day, including Sundays, without overtime being paid at the legal rate. “Unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers are all being treated as one category. Moreover, we are all being paid less than the mandated wages,” he added.
Karan Kumar said overtime was also being wrongly calculated. “It should be paid at double the regular wage and calculated on the basis of 24 working days in a month. Instead, it is being worked out over 31 days. So, we are losing money,” he added.
Miraz, another worker, said the protest continued inside the factory because employees believed the company was refusing to follow the government's direction on wages.
Similar Issues at Narsingpur Glass Factory
At the glass factory in Narsingpur, workers protested outside the gate over similar issues. Deepak Kumar, one of them, said employees with more than 20 years of experience were earning about Rs 15,000 a month, while those with less than five years of service were getting nearly Rs 12,500. “We have been asking the company to implement the revised minimum wages, but it has refused,” he said.
Background and Government Action
The state government raised minimum wages by 35% across worker categories with effect from April 1 and directed the labour department to ensure compliance. Additional labour commissioner (Gurgaon) Kushal Kataria did not respond to repeated calls and messages seeking comment on the protests and allegations.
These protests come weeks after wage-related labour unrest turned violent in Noida and Manesar, raising concerns over simmering tension on factory floors again.
