 Just for a few minutes, imagine yourself as one of the millions of workers that toil in different industries, services and trades in India. How much do you think you would earn? If you found regular employment, then you will earn a little below Rs. 10000 a month, which is the median wage of a regular worker in India. But if you found only contractual employment, then your monthly wage on average sadly will be less than Rs. 7000. If you are a casual wage labourer, you are even worse off, earning on average less than Rs. 5000 per month. But let us say that you are the fortunate worker earning Rs. 10000 per month. Is this enough to live a decent life? As fixed by the 15th Indian Labour Conference, workers minimum wage should be enough to provide the following things for a family of four. Balance diet that provides a minimum of 2700 calories per person per day, 65 metres of cloth per family per year. House rent equal to the rent charged by government's low-income industrial housing scheme. Fuel, lighting and miscellaneous expenditure covering 20% of the wages. Supreme Court in 1992 added 25% more of the wages covering children's education, medical treatment, recreation, ceremonies, festivals etc. If we calculate at today's prices, all this will come to a minimum wage of Rs. 26000 per month. How many workers are being paid this minimum amount today? 45% of workers get paid Rs. 5000 a month or even less. Another 23% get paid Rs. 5700. A 15% more earn between Rs. 7500 and Rs. 10,000. Another 10% of the workers are paid between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 20,000 a month. All these people make less than the basic minimum amount of Rs. 26000 a month. Why are the wages so low that more than 90% of the workers cannot meet their most basic needs? Hasn't Indian economy seen tremendous growth in the last couple of decades? In 1987, there was only one Indian family in Forbes billionaire's list. Today, to India's pride and joy, we officially have 132 billionaires in that list. The rich have certainly prospered but the workers haven't. If we look at the past three decades, the value added by a worker to the economy has grown by 210%. But the real wages paid to the worker has increased only by 14%. Is this what the workers deserve? A wage that keeps them hungry and half alive? That denies their children education, nutrition and a decent future? The wages comes to Rs. 26,000 a month. The workers are demanding for at least 18,000 per month. Isn't it time the workers are given their due?