Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 5: A four-year wage settlement between the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and the BJP-backed Akhil Bharatiya Kamgar Karmachari Sangh has provided employees with a monthly salary hike of Rs 7,250 and an annual bonus of Rs 50,000.
The agreement, effective from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2028, was reached under the leadership of Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan, who also heads the workers’ organisation.
The settlement is the third wage agreement between the NCPA management and the workers’ organisation. It also comes after a prolonged dispute over union representation at the prominent Mumbai cultural institution.
According to the workers’ organisation, the Mumbai Labour Union had earlier represented a majority of NCPA employees before its members were brought under the Akhil Bharatiya Kamgar Karmachari Sangh. Following legal proceedings before the Industrial Court, the BJP-backed union said it emerged as the largest and sole certified union representing NCPA workers.
The latest wage agreement is expected to strengthen the organisation’s position among the workforce while demonstrating its bargaining role in securing financial benefits for employees.
For NCPA workers, the settlement provides an immediate increase in monthly earnings along with the annual bonus. For the union, it strengthens its negotiating credentials and could help consolidate its position among organised workers.
The agreement was signed in the presence of senior NCPA officials, including president Santook, director Freddy Talathi, technical director Kale and HR general manager Vincent D’Souza. The workers’ organisation was represented by general secretary Sai Sate, vice-president Prashant Vartak and other office-bearers.
The settlement comes at a time when the BJP-backed workers’ organisation is seeking to expand its presence among employee groups traditionally represented by established labour unions.
The four-year agreement is expected to provide financial benefits to NCPA employees while also marking a significant development in the ongoing evolution of union representation at the institution.