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Circular No. C – 188 Date: - 14-07-2020

Minimum wage of Rs. 25,000/= p.m. for

Unskilled adult and Juvenile Workers in Sindh
The Minimum Wages Board, Sindh, under section 4(1) of the Sindh
Minimum Wages Act, 2015, recommended the minimum wages for
unskilled adult and juvenile workers to the Government of Sindh. The
Secretary Labour, Government of Sindh u/s 6 (1) (a) of Sindh Minimum
Wages Act 2015, declared the minimum rates of wages vide Notification
dated 09-07-2021 Rs.25,000/- per month 961/= per day for unskilled
adult and juvenile workers employed in all industrial / commercial
establishments in Sindh with effect from 01.07.2021. Salient features of the
same are given as under:––

1- Under section 6(1)(a) of the Sindh Minimum Wages Act, 2015, Sindh
Government has power to accept the recommendation of the Board as it is
and issue Notification for the Minimum Wage or if it considers that the
recommendation is not, in any respect, equitable to the employers or the
workers, under section 6(1)(b), refer it back to the Board for
reconsideration, call comments and hold enquiry. This time the Government
of Sindh has accepted the recommendation of the Board without referring it
back to the Board for reconsideration, calling comments or holding enquiry.
However, as a matter of record and facts, the Minimum Wages Board has
never considered any objections from any side and always recommends the
same initial minimum wage.

2- However even after publication of notification, the Government of Sindh has

the power under section 6(5) of The Sindh Minimum Wages Act, 2015, if the
newly declared minimum wage is inequitable to employers or workers, it
may refer it back to the board to hold further enquiry for reconsideration.
 2

3- That minimum wage of unskilled adult and juvenile workers, both male and
female, temporary or permanent whole time workers as recommended
would be paid Rs. 25,000/= p.m. or Rs. 961/= per day w.e.f. 01-07-2021
as per the provisions of the Sindh Minimum Wages Act, 2015.

4- The daily minimum wage for piece rated workers would be 1/26th of the
monthly minimum wage amounting to Rs. 961/= per day or not less than
Rs.120.12/= per hour which proportionately includes element of minimum
wage for weekly holiday in it and, therefore, no separate payment for
weekly off day would be required. Overtime, daily/weekly working hours,
weekly rest days, work on weekly holidays, etc shall be governed by
relevant provisions of the Sindh Factories Act, 2015, Sindh Payment of
Wages Act, 2015, Sindh Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 2015 and
other relevant labour laws.

5- Wages of skilled and semiskilled workers may be fixed by employers but the
same cannot be less than the minimum wage fixed now for unskilled adult
and juvenile workers. The wage would mean as defined by Section 2(xix) of
the Sindh Minimum Wages Act, 2015.

6- Wages of piece rated workers are also revised which would not be less than
this minimum wage be it on monthly, daily, hourly or piece rate basis.

7- If any establishment is paying higher than this minimum wage, the same
cannot be reduced. The employer is free to pay higher wage voluntarily or
by collective agreement keeping in view various factors including high cost
of living in a particular locality or other reasons.

8- This minimum wage would apply to the permanent, temporary, whole time,
monthly rated, daily rated and piece rated unskilled adult male female and
juvenile workers and they shall continue to enjoy other existing benefits
given to them and the same shall not be adjusted against this minimum
wage.

For further details if required, you may consult your labour laws consultant.
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