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Transcript
Hello and welcome to The Print AM, our morning podcast for the biggest story of the day.
I am Samarkan Veel and today we are going to talk about Christian Maradi's story,
low wages, no overtime pay, why workers in Noida are protesting.
Workers in Noida's industrial thrusters are demanding higher wages armed with iron
rods, cricket bats, stones and sticks that the factories are employed at.
On Monday morning, hundreds of workers entered and vandalised the factories of radical
mines technologies private limited, signifier Maruti Suzuki in sector 57.
A car was also set on fire and several vehicles were damaged causing massive traffic jams
across Noida's industrial areas.
The protest, which have been going on for the last three days, saw hundreds of workers
barge into factories and vandalise them on Monday, while urging the employees to take
part in the demonstration.
Hamari Mangi Purikaro, Varna Tabakar, thank you, fulfilled our demands, else we will destroy
everything, Saddi Bhakumar, who works at an export company at Noida's sector 57, while
holding a wooden stick in his hand.
The protest erupted after the Haryana government increased minimum wages by 35% for workers
across all categories, after protests and clashes between police and workers in Manisair
last week.
Earlier, workers in Haryana, unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled were earning between
ill-repes 11,000 and rupees 13,000.
After the 35% hike, their monthly wages will now be in the range of rupees 15,000
to 17,000.
The current monthly wages of workers in Uttar Pradesh is between 11,000 and rupees 13,000.
Heavy police officers, including personnel of the Rapid Action Force, have been deployed
at the protest site.
In sector 57, protestors vandalised many factories before the police could treat this
spot.
A senior police officer at the site said their priorities to first bring the situation
under control.
We will scan CCTV footage and take action against those involved in the vandalism
at the officer.
At the Radical Minds Technologies factory, protestors broke the windows of the building.
Koshikumar and employee at the company said that protestors came in the morning and asked
everyone to leave.
They have stakes and rods in their hands, they damage the building, he said outside the
factory.
Mohini Bal, 27, said she has been working for an export company Noida sector 57 for
the last two years now, but a salary has not increased.
I am earning rupees 10,275 rupees per month.
Factory owners are exploiting us as we are doing over time, but they do not pay extra
to us.
Said Bal, adding that the owner even taunts them over taking breaks to use the washroom.
Bal said the frustration that had been building up for years has now led to these protests.
Factory owners should increase our wages and do the needful reforms in the system she
said.
Adding that rupees 13,150 rupees is deducted from their salary if they take a day off.
On Sunday, Noida DM Meetha Rupam had held a meeting with the State's Principal Secretary
Labour and Labour Commissioner.
The meeting focused on protection of workers interest, double payment for overtime, bonus,
weekly holidays and work-free safety.
Rupam wrote in a post on X.
That was all.
Thank you for tuning in and keep listening to the print for more updates.
