Daijiworld News Network- Mangalore (AF)
                                                  
Mangalore, May 15: A state-wide agitation demanding fixed minimum wages will be staged by Karnataka State Beedi Workers Federation from Tuesday May 16, stated a release issued by the Federation here.
 
The Federation will also place a demand for the prompt payment of dearness allowance which has been pending since 2003 and work of six-day per week.
 
In 1996, the government had fixed a minimum wage of Rs 36.85 per 1000 beedis rolled and 3 paise per point of raise in consumer price index starting 1,513 was fixed as the dearness allowance. The beedi company owners had opposed this move and approached the high court but to no avail, said Federation president B Madhav in the release.
 
The beedi company owners stopped paying the minimum wages and the dearness allowance to the beedi workers. The Federation then appealed to the state government, following which Qamarul Islam, the then labour minister, informed that the government had appointed a committee through the Institute for Social and Economic Change to look in to the problems of beedi workers.
 
The committee was expected to submit a report in six months but the government has now refused to publicise the report, said the release.