TWAD Board workers seek higher wages for temporary staff

Madurai Members of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board Employees' Association affiliated to

Members of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board Employees' Association affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a demonstration in front of the TWAD Board office here pressing for a charter of demands.

The protest was led by the association district president K. Ramasamy.

Addressing the protesters, the CITU State treasurer V. Azhagumalai said that TWAD Board, through an order in March 29, 2022, had reduced the wages of temporary workers. While they were getting daily wages of ₹ 786 as per the board's schedule of rate, the board now has reduced it to minimum wages of ₹ 250 to ₹ 280 a day.

"The rule says that only if the schedule of rate was lesser than minimum wages, the workers should be given minimum wages and not the other way," he said.

This would badly affect the economy of over 3,000 temporary workers, he said.

Besides, the Board has not given the arrears to workers on consolidated pay after the Supreme Court ordered the board to provide them time-scale pay in 2021.

The dearness allowance increased by the State Government from January 2022 has not been given to the pensioners and family pensioners.