The Indian government has suggested a nine-hour normal working day in its draft wage code rules, but has stayed away from fixing a national minimum wage. The draft reiterates most of the old rules except suggesting three geographical classifications for deciding wages in future.
“The number of hours which shall constitute a normal working day…shall be of nine hours,” said the draft rules now up for public comments.
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However, the draft rule creates ambiguity while underlining that eight hours of daily work will be calculated for 26 days of work in a month for fixing monthly salary, an existing rule for decades.
“Some factories are already pushing people to do nine-hour normal workday. What these wage code rule is trying to achieve is institutionalise it for all. We have opposed the wage code and we shall oppose the rule because they are not talking about workers welfare,” said A.K. Padmanabhan, vice president of Centre for Indian Trade Union.
Source: livemint
