Fresh unrest broke out in Noida’s Sector 80 on Tuesday as a dispute over stagnant wages boiled over into a violent confrontation. Officers were forced to move in to break up the crowd, eventually clearing the site after chasing away the protesters.
The violence erupted despite attempts by the police to calm the situation. Officers had been in the middle of explaining the details of an upcoming wage hike to the gathered workers, who were protetsing for a minimum monthly salary of at least Rs 20,000. According to the police, the situation was hijacked by "miscreants" looking to cause trouble under the guise of the protest.
Workers also complained about certain malpractices in the factory. One such malpractice is the unfair treatment of allowance. They claimed that skilled labour was being treated on par with unskilled labour with regard to allowances. Furthermore, many accused the company of using "revolving door" tactics— allegedly sacking staff just before they hit the nine-month mark, only to rehire them later to avoid paying out higher long-term allowances.
On the other hand, its has been learnt that the Uttar Pradesh government has approved an interim minimum wage hike of roughly 21 per cent for labourers in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad. This move follows a series of urgent recommendations made by a high-level committee appointed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to address the escalating tensions.
The Noida District Magistrate’s office confirmed that under the new interim rates, which have been backdated to April 1, monthly pay for unskilled workers has risen from ₹11,313 to ₹13,690. Semi-skilled workers will now receive ₹15,059, up from ₹12,445, while skilled workers have seen their wages climb from ₹13,940 to ₹16,868. Across other districts and municipal corporations, similar tiered increases have been implemented to reflect local economic conditions.
State Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta, known as ‘Nandi’, emphasised that the administration has treated the grievances with the utmost seriousness. However, he did not mince his words regarding the recent violence, accusing "anarchic elements" linked to the Samajwadi Party and Congress of exploiting the situation. He suggested that these groups had conspired to disturb the peace by inciting workers with baseless rumours.
Gupta further noted that the government panel, led by the Industrial Development Commissioner, is actively consulting with trade unions, industry leaders, and various stakeholders to find a long-term resolution. While promising a fair outcome, he issued a stern warning to anyone attempting to further derail the state's stability, claiming that those who challenge public order would face consequences so severe they would be remembered for generations.
In a bid to curb misinformation, the Noida District Magistrate explicitly dismissed claims circulating on social media that the minimum wage had been fixed at ₹20,000 per month.
Also read: Vehicles set on fire as Noida workers' protest turns violent
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