Bangalore, May 21, 2013, DHNS: – Deccan Herald
The Ministry of Labour & Employment, after a recent inspection, has found that contract labourers being employed at Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), an establishment under Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), are not being paid wages in accordance with Minimum Wages Act.

Sources in the Centre for Air Borne Systems said recruitment and maintenance of the contract labourers has been outsourced to a local private company––Mahalakshmi Enterprises.

Less wages

In a report post inspection, the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), has said: “It is found that the contractor is paying wages less than the minimum rates fixed for sweeping and cleaning workers.”

Asserting that the contractor has violated the norms of employment by paying employees less that the fixed rate, the report pointed out that the firm owes Rs 2,79,496 to about 60 employees, as difference amount for months of October and November 2012, information about which the contractor could provide the department.

“But this has been a problem not only now, the contractor has not been paying in accordance to the Act for a long time now, we hope that the inspection and susequent action will get us our money,” one of the representatives of the workers said.

However, sources said a meeting held as recently as two weeks ago discussed the same issue and that the contractor had not yet paid the difference amount, or complied with the Act.