Migrant workers' body for revoking wage-cut circular

Hyderabad: Rollback the circular regarding reduction of minimum referral wage for Indian workers newly going to Gulf countries, the Migrants Rights and Welfare Forum has demanded.

The forum's president Korapati Narasimham Naidu said, "The circular for lowering new wage tariffs should be withdrawn and the old wage structure be reinstated." The Centrehad issued the two circulars six months ago lowering the minimum wage for the newcomers leaving to the Gulf countries by 30 to 50 per cent. According to the circular, the minimum referral wage for workers going to Quatar, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE was reduced to $200 (approximately Rs 15,000), Kuwait ($245) and Saudi Arabia ($234), a media release said.

He said, "The Indian Government has shattered the hopes of the Gulf workers. The minimum wage was unilaterally reduced by 30 to 50 per cent. The Indian government might have succumbed to the lobby of manpower recruiting agencies and foreign employers." From the last 5 years (August 2015), the minimum referral wage for workers moving to the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) was up to 1700 Dirhams including allowance (approximately up to Rs 34,000). However, the circular does not mention about the allowances.

There was no proposal from the Gulf governments to Indian government regarding lowering of the wages. It is an injustice to Indian emigrant workers going to Gulf countries. Without any consultation or discussion with the stakeholders, the circulars were issued, Naidu said.