Standing orders on service rules sought

PUDUCHERRY: Trade union activists on Monday expressed grievance over the lack of standing orders for factories with regard to regulating services of workers, as well as minimum wages going unrevised, at a Industrial Harmony meeting organised by the Department of Labour, Puducherry.Most of the factories in Puducherry do have the standing order specifying the norms of the factory, service rules and regulations , cadres, conditions certified by the Labour department. Commissioner of Labour G Malar Kannan said that the department is taking action in this regard. In the past three years, 75 standing orders for factories have been certified. Another 50 were in the process of being certified.Minimum wages have also not been revised as per the Government of India rates. The Commissioner said that regular meetings were been conducted with trade union leaders for the revision and assured that within the next two months the notifications would be issued. A special cell has been  formed last month for the revision. Subsequent to this, fixation of minimium wages for other employment which has not been covered so far, will be done.Welfare and Labour Minister P Rajavelu who chaired the meeting said that in the absence of the standing orders, the factory owners should not take advantage of the workers and exploit them. former minister and trade union leader of AICTU, R Viswanathan were among the participants in the meeting.