CHENNAI: Despite the Labour and Welfare Skill Development Department issuing a government order in June 2023 mandating wage revision for employees across local authorities, only unskilled workers under Greater Chennai Corporation received a pay hike while the revision is still pending for skilled workers.
Temporary skilled workers in GCC, including NCD (Non-Communicable Diseases) staff nurses, ANM (Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife) nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists, and data entry operators, among others continue to earn far lesser than their unskilled counterparts, despite holding diplomas or bachelor’s degrees.
Currently, skilled workers like staff nurses are paid Rs 18,000 monthly, ANM nurses draw Rs 14,000, pharmacists draw Rs 15,000, lab technicians draw Rs 13,000, NHM data entry operators draw Rs 12,500 and contract data entry operators draw Rs 15,000 per month. But in contrast, unskilled temporary workers, such as sanitary workers, domestic breeding checkers, dog catchers and others earn about Rs 20,000 per month.
The wage-gap started in September 2023 when the city corporation raised daily wages for unskilled workers from Rs 522 to Rs 687, based on Government Order (2D) No. 36 from June 16, 2023. However, GCC failed to implement the wage increase for skilled labourers. In August 2024, the corporation further revised the unskilled workers’ wages to Rs 753 per day (equivalent to Rs 19,578 per month) following a directive from the Labour Department, but skilled workers were left out again.
A 38-year-old temporary staff nurse working at a GCC UPHC said, “Despite completing four-year BSc in nursing and working here for over five years, I earn only Rs 18,000 a month. We worked tirelessly during the pandemic and continue to handle heavy workloads. Every day, we struggle to cover even basic expenses. We also have arrears pending.”
This wage-gap is also linked to a court directive from September 2023.
The GO (2D) No. 62, dated October 11, 2017, established a wage structure for all local authority employees, but the order was not copied to the GCC during its issuance. Consequently, Government Order (2D) No. 36 was issued on June 16, 2023, aimed to correct this, said Babu Manickaraj, president, Labour Progressive Federation, a workers union affiliated to the DMK.
However, as the wage structure in the new GO (2D) No. 36 is similar to that of GO (2D) No. 62 for all local authorities, except for village panchayats, for whom salaries were reduced compared to the previous GO, it led to a writ petition alleging that GO No. 36 had reduced wages for workers in local authorities, citing violation of Minimum Wages Act of 1948. In response, the court in September 2023 passed an interim ruling ordering the wages to be paid for temporary sanitary workers as per the previous GO (2D) No. 62, until further notice. It, however, did not specify the wage status for skilled labourers.
Babu Manickaraj said GCC must provide fair compensation for skilled workers, acknowledging their educational qualifications and essential roles.
GCC Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran told TNIE, “While the court order directed to implement the wage revision for temporary unskilled workers, it did not provide clear instructions regarding skilled labourers. Fund constraints are another major challenge. However, we are reviewing the quantum of outgo and a decision will be made within a week.”