Contract, outsourcing and other workers from various government departments stage a protest in front of Prakasam Bhavan in Ongole on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: KOMMURI SRINIVAS
Thousands of contract and outsourcing employees, along with workers from both organised and unorganised sectors across Prakasam district, staged a protest at the Collectorate in Ongole on Thursday. They demanded the government to immediately revise minimum wages pending since 2009 and announce a monthly minimum wage of ₹26,000 to the contract staff.
Speaking on the occasion, CITU district general secretary M. Ramesh warned the government that they would intensify the agitation across the State if the minimum wage was not revised. He lashed out at successive State governments for disregarding the law that mandates a wage revision every five years. He condemned the lack of sincerity among governments towards workers’ issues.
“The State government readily announces concessions worth thousands of crores of rupees to corporate entities, but it is reluctant in raising workers’ wages to a level that ensures a decent livelihood. Taking into account the rising costs of essential commodities, education, and healthcare, we insist implementation of monthly minimum wage of ₹26,000 to the contract staff in all sectors,” he said.
The CITU leader criticised the exploitation of workers in sectors such as granite quarries, polishing units, aqua companies, hatcheries, tobacco warehouses, pharmaceutical industries, private educational and medical institutions, shopping malls, petrol bunks, and security agencies, emphasising that their wages range from only ₹8,000 to ₹13,000 per month.
He further alleged that in violation of the eight-hour workday law, workers were made to work up to 12 hours without receiving overtime pay.
Published – July 30, 2026 08:55 pm IST
