Wage Code to be pushed this session

New Delhi, June 26: The labour ministry will push the Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and Code on Wages Bill for the passage in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament starting next month.

The Code on Wages will enable the central government to fix universal minimum wage applicable on all establishments and workers across the country.

The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will increase the working overtime hours up to 100 per quarter and allow workers to work more and earn more.

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in monsoon session last year. Now, it will be pushed for the passage in Rajya Sabha next month.

“The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and Code on Wages Bill are the two legislation which would be pushed by (the) labour ministry in the monsoon session beginning next month,” an official source said.

The source said,”Apart from these two bills, the ministry is also working on Code on Industrial Relations. But, it is under scrutiny of ministerial panel on labour issues headed by Arun Jaitley”.

The Code on Wages Bill has already been approved by the ministerial panel, and will soon be placed for the Union Cabinet nod.

The code will ensure universal minimum wage for all industries and workers. It will also cover those workers, who are getting monthly pay of higher than `18,000. At present, laws on wages do not cover workers getting monthly wage of more than `18,000.