Trinamool seeks legally enforceable basic minimum wage

The government should come up with a legally enforceable universal basic minimum wage for workers across sectors, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien said on Friday (February 13, 2026).

Mr. O’Brien was speaking during the Zero Hour, which allows members to raise issues of national importance. The leader said that one in three youths is not employed, and even for those who are, there is no minimum wage. He said the national wage floor is effectively stagnated at about ₹176 a day.

Mr. O’Brien said that low wages depress consumption and lock workers into poverty.

“So, with this background, the solution I am suggesting is a single, legally enforceable, universal basic minimum wage floor, below which no worker can be paid, irrespective of sector, irrespective of contract type, and irrespective of where the person works,” he said.

In a swipe at the government, Mr. O’Brien said that since the government “loves acronyms”, it can call such a scheme “Universal, Minimum, Annual National Guarantee – UMANG.” Mr. O’Brien said the minimum wage should be indexed automatically to inflation, there should be simplified rates and categories for easy compliance, and coverage should also be extended to the unorganised sector, contract workers and gig workers.

“This has to go to all kinds of workers, contract workers, gig workers, and most importantly, where the action is or the solution is needed, that is the unorganised sector,” he said. He also cited the West Bengal government’s latest scheme, ‘Banglar Yuba Sathi’, for youths aged 21 to 40 who have passed the Class 10 exam and are unemployed. They are entitled to monthly assistance of ₹1,500 till they get employment or for up to five years.

“This is even though Bengal has the fifth lowest unemployment rate among all States in the country,” he said.