Trade unions reject Karnataka government proposal to review revised minimum wages

The Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) in Bengaluru has rejected the Karnataka state government's proposal to review or withdraw its recently notified revision of minimum wages. The committee, which comprises several central and state trade unions, urged the government to retain the revised rates and warned of major statewide protests if the decision is rolled back.

According to the JCTU, the revision of minimum wages is long overdue. The unions noted that the minimum wages for 39 scheduled employments across the state have remained unrevised since the 2017-18 period.

The JCTU stated that the proposed wage revision would directly benefit more than one crore working-class households. By raising the minimum wage rates, the revision is expected to increase household incomes and boost overall purchasing power. The unions strongly urged the state government not to revisit or withdraw the final notification.

The draft notification for the wage revision was issued in April 2025. Following its publication, a two-month period was provided to invite objections from various stakeholders. The proposed revised minimum wages under this notification range from Rs. 19,300 to Rs. 31,114.

Addressing claims made by employers, the JCTU disputed assertions that the revision constitutes a 60 per cent increase. Instead, the unions stated that the hike is around 40 per cent. They further explained that the revision strictly followed the methodology prescribed by the 15th Indian Labour Conference, which was held in 1956.

In addition to rejecting the review proposal, the JCTU urged the Karnataka government to await the pending decision of the Karnataka High Court before taking any further action. The committee warned that any move to withdraw the revised wages would trigger statewide protests, including public demonstrations and a bandh.