The NDA government,which through its unplanned and blanket lockdown devasted the
lives of crores of migrant workers, has now come out with an order that would create an
ocean of wageless workers in the period of lockdown.On 18‐05‐2020, it repealed its own
earlier order dated March 29 that directed the managements to pay salaries to workers
despite the lockdown. The Ministry of Home Affairs made a set of guidelines for
lockdown‐4 annulling the March 29th Order that shall“cease to have effect from 18‐05‐
2020.
The issue of wage payment to workers in the lockdown period is still pending before the
Supreme Court as some managements challenged the March 29th Order of the
government while trade union organisations have filed impleadment petitions. Now
with the government withdrawing its own order, it becomes clear that it does not care
so much about wages to the workers.In crisis situations as the present one, it enjoins
upon the government to provide relief to the needy but the government is abdicating its
responsibility. It could bear the wage bill of the workers in MSMEs and thus provide
relief. It can aid these managements to pump in capital for running the units.
The IFTU demands the government to withdraw the order dated 18‐05‐2020.
Aparna Pradeep
Date:19.05.2020