Guwahati, Aug 20: Members of the United Workmen Union staged a protest in Noonmati on Thursday, demanding that the wage ceiling for Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) benefits be raised from Rs 21,000 to Rs 45,000 to extend health coverage to more workers. Union general secretary Girish Kalita said workers earning above the existing wage ceiling were being denied ESI coverage and adequate medical care despite working in hazardous industrial environments.

“Unless the ceiling is raised, we won’t get health benefits. We demand that the ceiling be increased to Rs 45,000 so that workers can avail medical benefits,” Kalita said.

The union also demanded that the refinery provide adequate medical facilities to workers if the ESI wage ceiling is not revised. Kalita alleged that workers who are injured or fall ill while working in hazardous conditions often do not receive adequate medical support.

The protesters further alleged that the management was replacing local workers with cheaper contract labour from outside the region and terminating them after projects were completed. The union demanded that local workers be given greater priority in employment and that government-mandated wage provisions be followed.

The union also alleged irregularities in Provident Fund (PF) procedures, claiming that workers were being misled into signing Form 11 stating that they did not require PF benefits. Kalita urged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene in the issues faced by workers and warned that the union would intensify its agitation if their demands were not addressed.