If March Salary Not Paid by April 21 MeECL Threatens to Protest

Meghalaya: Employees of Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) have threatened to strike if the company fails to release salaries for March 2023 as per the Wages Regulations, 2019 by April 21.
The Coordination Committee of Registered MeECL (Employees) Associations and Unions (CCORMAU) made the decision during an emergency meeting on Thursday.
According to reports, in a letter written to MeECL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Sanjay Goyal, CCORMAU President PK Shullet emphasized the importance of timely distribution of salaries, and reminded the management that several correspondences were held in this regard A memorandum was submitted on 9th January 2023 but despite repeated requests the salary for March 2023 has not yet been released.
The Wages Ordinance, 2019, mandates that the employer must pay or cause to be paid wages to employees engaged on a monthly basis before the expiry of the seventh day of the following month. Failure to comply with this regulation may result in democratic sit-in demonstrations, as threatened by MeECL employees.
Schullet said that if the salaries are not released by the deadline, the employees will be forced to stage a democratic sit-in at their respective offices on the next working day. Furthermore, failure to release salaries for the next months as per the Code on Wages, 2019 will result in more democratic sit-ins.
It remains to be seen whether MeECL will release the salaries on time to avoid possible protests. However, the threat of sit-in demonstrates the urgency of timely distribution of salaries and the importance of upholding the rights of employees. MeECL and other employers in the region should take note of the Wages Regulations 2019 and ensure timely payment of salaries to their employees to avoid unnecessary stress and unrest.