AAP trade wing threatens strike against min wage hike

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) The AAP government’s decision tohike minimum wages by 50 per cent has not gone down well withthe party’s trade wing which today threatened to call a strikeclaiming the step will lead to lay-offs and affect business. Terming the decision as "unjustified", the outfit said itwill raise the issue with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung. Following a meeting with trade associations here, BrijeshGoyal, the convenor of the body, said the upward revision inwages will not only lead to "laying off" of workers but alsoresult in complete industrial and trade "shutdown" in thenational capital. Goyal had yesterday met Deputy Chief Minister ManishSisodia and Labour Minister Gopal Rai and conveyed theirobjections. The Delhi Cabinet is likely to approve the wagehike proposal today. "We have sought time from the LG. We will also meetrepresentatives of trade wings of other political parties. Ifeveryone decides to go on strike then even we will do thesame," Goyal said. He said that wages in Delhi were already the "highest"among north Indian states and more compared to Madhya Pradesh,and West Bengal as well. A further hike will make industries and tradeuncompetitive and push up inflation, he claimed. ChiefMinister Arvind Kejriwal had announced the government’sdecision in his Independence Day speech. As per the government’s proposal, the minimum wages forunskilled person will be Rs 14,052 against the existing Rs9,568 in the national capital. Besides, the same forsemi-skilled and skilled persons will increase from Rs 10,582to Rs 15,471 and from Rs 11,622 to 17,033 respectively. PTI PRSBR IKA RTIKA