“Our salary is very low. I make money. I make money.” $13000 per month. “I work 12 hours a day,” one factory worker said during the ongoing protests in Noida.
Protests by factory workers in Noida turned violent on Monday, with workers protesting against low wages setting vehicles on fire and resorting to stone pelting after a female employee was beaten by a lathi during a police move. Hosiery complex workers in Uttar Pradesh Phase II are demanding a wage hike, alleging that their salaries have not kept pace with inflation.
(Read also: Factory workers protest against wage hike in Phase 2 in Noida, Sector 60; Setting fire to government vehicles)
“We work 12 hours a day”
Many female workers spoke to Hindi Khabar news channel and said that their protest aims to improve wages.
“We must win $20,000 for 8 hours of work. Alternatively, some companies give a raise of $280, or gives some other $One woman told the news channel: “$300 more. Meanwhile, our house rent is increasing by as much as $300 $500.”
Another woman, Manju Devi, said she works 12 hours a day $13000 per month.
“Our salary is very low. I make money. I make money.” $13000 [a month]. She said: “I work 12 hours a day. How can I raise four children with this salary? How can I feed them and educate them?” I wondered.
A third woman also said she was frustrated by stagnant wages. She said: “Our problem is that gas prices are rising, but our salaries are not increasing.”
Noida was rocked by protests
Noida has witnessed salary protests over the past four to five days.
On Sunday, a district judge Noida, Medha Rupam held a meeting with Principal Secretary (Labour) and State Labor Commissioner to discuss protection of workers’ interests, double payment for overtime, bonuses and safety at workplace.
“An important meeting was held at the Noida Industrial Peace Maintenance Authority, in which the Principal Secretary (Labour) and Labor Commissioner, UP, participated virtually and discussed topics including protection of interests of workers, double payment for overtime, bonuses, weekends and safety at workplace,” the DM wrote on X.
But the protests turned violent on Monday, leading to a massive police deployment.
The violent protests also led to traffic congestion in Noida. Passengers were stuck for hours on the Delhi-Noida DND flight route due to traffic diversion as the Chilla border, connecting Delhi with Noida, was closed after a violent protest in Noida Phase 2.
(Also Read: Delhi on high alert as Noida workers’ protest turns violent)
Sania Jain is Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience covering offbeat stories that speak to everyday experience — from viral videos to human interest versions that spark conversation. Her interests span across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment, and world affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sania spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds a BA in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai. Sanya has a keen eye for spotting emerging trends and searching for newsworthy angles to elevate viral posts into meaningful narratives. She was the first to, for example, cover Narayana Murthy’s remark about 70-hour work weeks that sparked a national conversation. She feels just as comfortable writing about business leaders as she does about the common man, issues of national importance and memes that entertain social media. Sania enjoys speaking with content creators, newsmakers, and entrepreneurs to turn everyday moments into compelling, slice-of-life stories that resonate with readers. When she’s not working, Sanya can be found sitting with a good book. She was born and raised in Lucknow, and has spent the last several years in Delhi. She has a keen interest in animal welfare and now spends a lot of her time running after her destructive orange cat.Read more
