Noida: UP govt on Wednesday warned labour contractors and outsourcing agencies in Noida and Greater Noida that they will be blacklisted and their licences cancelled if workers deployed by them are found involved in violence or disruption.The move came two days after industrial protests in Noida turned violent, with vehicles, including police SUVs, set ablaze and cops pelted with stones in several sectors.The warning was issued after a high-level committee chaired by infrastructure and industrial development commissioner Deepak Kumar met representatives of outsourcing agencies in Greater Noida.“Outsourcing agencies play an important role in running industries and generating employment. It is also their responsibility to keep workers disciplined and properly trained so that no disorder or unrest arises. If any agency or its employees engage in disruptive behaviour, the agency concerned will be held responsible. In such cases, action will be taken to blacklist the agency and cancel its licence,” Kumar said.
Employees in the Phase 2 area gradually start returning to work
Some contractors, however, said responsibility for maintaining order in industrial units should be shared.Dharmendra Nagar, who runs outsourcing agency Prachi Enterprises, said contractual workers and company staff are typically in a 40:60 ratio in industrial units, though this varies across firms. “Monday’s unrest was an unfortunate incident. It is not clear whether those involved were contractual workers or directly engaged by the companies. Ensuring peaceful functioning of industrial units is a collective responsibility, and holding only contractors responsible may not be just,” added Nagar, whose firm engages nearly 9,000 workers in factories across Noida.Lalit Kumar, operations manager at Lions Workforce, said agencies recruit candidates and place them in factories and companies, but accountability for any misconduct cannot rest solely with them.“Such incidents depend on multiple workplace factors, including work culture, salary payments, medical coverage and other issues. If an agency places a candidate in a factory and they commit a crime months or years later, how can the agency alone be held responsible?” he said. Kumar’s company has nearly 1,200 contractual workers in factories in the city.The govt coupled the warning with a fresh push to address workers’ grievances. Reiterating Tuesday’s decision, the committee said minimum monthly wages in Noida and Ghaziabad had been raised by 21% with effect from April 1. Unskilled workers will now get Rs 13,690, up from Rs 11,313; semi-skilled workers Rs 15,059, up from Rs 12,445; and skilled workers Rs 16,668, against Rs 13,940 earlier.Officials insisted that the wages must be transferred directly into workers’ bank accounts to ensure transparency.Kumar said that the committee, while deciding on the revised wages, had tried to strike a balance between rising living costs and pressure on industry, especially amid the export stress linked to the West Asia conflict. He also said many workers had been misled into believing that higher wages had already been fixed by the Centre and the state, when the national minimum floor wage is still under consideration.Labour commissioner Markandeya Shahi said on Wednesday workers must undergo police verification at the time of joining and that statutory deductions must be strictly followed. “PF and ESI deductions should be ensured in keeping with the rules to prevent dissatisfaction among workers,” he said.He added that the revised rates were interim and final wages would be fixed next month after the wage board’s recommendations. April 23 is the last date for objections and suggestions.District magistrate Medha Roopam, who visited industrial units in Greater Noida on Wednesday, spoke to workers about the revised wages. “The chief minister has also given directions, including double payment for overtime and weekly offs. Dialogue is the solution to any problem, not violence,” she told a group.The labour department has issued a toll-free number, 9411900251, while the committee has also shared helplines 0120-2336004 and 0120-2336005 for complaints. Officials said factories had started displaying revised wage lists on their notice boards and workers were gradually returning to work after Monday’s unrest.
