Big wage gap between contract, regular staff

Contract workers, very often, are paid wages one-third that earned by regular workers

There is a wide gap between contract and regular workers in terms of wages in key industries across the country, according to a recent study by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

“The study shows that in all the sectors, there is an increasing share of contract workers and they are paid wages that are often one third of their regular co-workers,” according to a statement from the CITU.

One-third salary

The CITU said that “the organised trade unions of the country (except the one associated with the ruling party) have taken up the struggle of contract workers and it forms a key demand regarding which they are holding a one-day nationwide strike on September 2.”

Contract workers in the steel sector accounted for 75 per cent of the total staff, road transport (90 per cent), water transport (82 per cent), electricity (55 per cent), construction (around 95 per cent), coal (50 per cent), plantation (40-50 per cent), and 60 per cent in the petroleum and gas sector.

While regular workers in the steel sector, which has a workforce of about five lakh, got Rs.40,000 per month as average wage, their contract co-workers earned Rs.8,500 per month, CITU said.