NC demands release of pending salaries of contractual, daily wage workers

Srinagar, Aug 12: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Thursday expressed concern over withholding of salaries of casual, daily wagers working in various departments, saying the inordinate delay in the release of pending salaries has pushed thousands of families into penury.
While expressing concern over the suffering of daily wagers working in various departments, the party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the salaries drawn by the dailwagers, contractuals working with various government departments are already very meager and that the practice of irregular release of the monthly dues has further aggravated the entire lot.
“It is not just an individual daily wager, who is at the receiving end, it is the thousands of such families who these daily wagers sustain through their meager wages, which are also pending for months altogether. It is highly unfortunate to see these contractual and daily wagers hanker for their salaries. It has become a norm for them to come on roads and agitate for the release of their due remuneration. Most of the families associated with such daily wagers have exhausted their humble savings and can no longer make both ends meet in these difficult times. Most of such families are on the verge of starvation,” he said.
The measure of withholding the salaries of daily rated, casual, and daily wagers also runs afoul with the canons of natural justice, Imran said. He added that despite working at par with other employees, the entire lot is being denied equal wages at par with other employees. This, Imran said, is a wanton violation of the law of equal work and equal wages and minimum wages act. Emphasizing the long pending demand of regularizing the daily rated, casual, contractual, and daily wagers, Imran said the incumbent administration must take the decision without any further delay.
He also demanded that pay anomalies with regards to the entire contingent paid workers, NYC, Anganwari, Asha workers, HDF contractual and consolidated employees should be redressed and further ensure that the practice of irregular release in wages is abandoned.