The CIMS suggested a data bank of returnee migrants and the wage loss they’ve faced
Amid the pandemic crisis many Non-Resident-Indians are facing job losses and non-settlement of their financial dues even though they have been sacked and are back home.
The Centre for Indian Migrant Studies (CIMS), a non-governmental organisation working for the rights of migrant workers (from India), has come out with an exhaustive study that suggests pro-active approach of the governmental and non-governmental agencies to help the returnee migrant workers.
The CIMS surveyed 3,345 workers; out of them, only 397 had proper documents supporting ‘wage theft’ by their employers. These 397 people had Rs 62 crore (Rs 62,58,73,366 exact) due on their employers. If divided per person, the amount comes at Rs 15 lakh per person.
The CIMS suggested a data bank of returnee migrants and the wage loss they’ve faced.
For the Indian State of Kerala, there is a government body called Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) that looks into issues related to NRIs from Kerala.
Currently, the NORKA is making records of NRIs with job losses coming back to the state. The CIMS suggested having a column with ‘reports of wage theft’ where the returnee migrants can mention ‘wage losses’ in terms of pending salaries etc, not settled by the overseas employer.
The CIMS surveyed 3,345 workers; out of them, only 397 had proper documents supporting ‘wage theft’ by their employers. These 397 people had Rs 62 crore (Rs 62,58,73,366 exact) due on their employers. If divided per person, the amount comes at Rs 15 lakh per person
The CIMS also suggested urgently using the mechanism of filing cases through the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) as some countries do not allow cases after a year of the incident.
The CIMS called upon the State and Union governments to take action against Indian origin perpetrators who are the brains behind not settling financial dues of their countrymen for their own vested interests.
Further, it suggested having bilateral agreements with overseas countries to address such issues.
The NORKA can be the right model for all other Indian states because every Indian state has some NRIs facing job losses and subsequent ‘wage loss’ due to the non-settlement of their financial dues.
The NORKA has invited complaints of pending wages. It asked the victims to email NORKA ataddlsec.norka@kerala.gov.in or call toll free number 1800 425 393.
