By directing garment companies in the State to comply with a Government Order passed two years ago, which revised the minimum wages for the industry, the Madras High Court has ameliorated the lives of over three lakh garment workers in the State.
As a big relief for the workers who say the revised wages had been long pending, the court directed the companies to pay the revised wages from the date of notification of the Government Order (December 2014)within two months along with an interest of six per cent per annum.
A Division of Justices Huluvadi G. Ramesh and M.V. Muralidaran passed the orders while allowing the appeal moved by the State government against an interim stay passed by a single judge on June 2, 2015 against the revision.
The Bench dismissed hundreds of petitions moved by private garment companies seeking to quash the Government Order.
Rejecting the strong opposition of the companies that the revision of wages by 64 per cent was not sustainable, the Bench said, “It is to be mentioned here that the last revision had taken place in the year 2004. It is not in dispute that the revision of minimum wages has to be done once in 5 years.”
Dismissing hundreds of petitions, court points out the last wage revision for workers took place in 2004
