Hostel workers employed by the Social Welfare Department and the Department of Scheduled Tribes Welfare staged a protest at the Ballari Zilla Panchayat premises to demand immediate payment of pending wages for August and September, as well as the implementation of revised minimum wages. The agitation was organized under the leadership of the Karnataka State United Hostel Workers Union and the Karnataka State United Akshara Dasoha Workers Union, both affiliated with the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC).
Following the protest, officials from the concerned departments received the workers’ memorandum and assured them that pending wages would be released shortly. Chidanandappa, Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department, stated that the two months of arrears would be paid by Tuesday and that he would bring the issue of revised minimum wages to the attention of senior officials. Saswi Mainuddin, district officer of the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department, noted that senior officials had issued directions to implement the revised wages and assured workers that arrears would be paid along with the revised amounts.
Shivanayak, Taluk Officer of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, said that pending wages would be released within a week, adding that pending contributions from the Union government had been received and would also be paid to the workers. He mentioned that four months of payments towards foodgrain expenses had already been released and assured that headmasters would be instructed to ensure the payment of the amount meant for foodgrains, with appropriate action taken if workers reported non-receipt.
The workers highlighted that head cooks, assistant cooks, and watchmen in hostels run by the two departments perform demanding duties, including preparing and serving food to students. A. Devadas, AIUTUC district president, stated that although departmental instructions require wages to be paid by the fifth of every month, the deadline is frequently not followed, forcing workers to borrow money to meet household expenses amid rising prices and increasing school and college fees.
Pramod, Hostel Workers Union district president, noted that while the Ballari Social Welfare Department had issued an order to implement revised wages, it subsequently issued another order withholding the decision, and the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department had also not implemented the revision. The unions contended that a recent High Court interim order against the suspension of revised minimum wages in certain departments has removed obstacles to implementation. The protesters put forward three demands: immediate payment of wages due for August and September, implementation of revised minimum wages notified on May 22, 2026, and timely payment of wages by the fifth of every month. Labour leaders G. Suresh, Muralikrishna, Chetan, Lakshmi Devi, Eshwaramma, Praveen, Sundar, Gangamma, and Nageshaiah participated in the protest alongside the workers.
