A welcome pledge

Labour Minister Athauda Seneviratne has promised a wage hike to both pubic and private sector employees in the upcoming budget. The Minister was quoted in a newspaper as saying that despite the ongoing war workers would be given a fair salary increase.

There have been protests and agitations recently for wage hikes by Trade Unions and political parties though the quantum demanded could be termed unreasonable in the present economic scenario. But a salary increase is being looked forward to with eager anticipation by the working public from the upcoming budget and no doubt the Minister's pledge will be cause for some jubilation among the working class who have been badly hit by the high cost of living.

They would also hope that this 'fair' wage increase amounts to something tangible that would help them tide over the present difficulties. Today not only the working class but even the middle income groups are in a bind vis-a-vis a COL and are finding it difficult to make ends meet with the rapid erosion of purchasing power.

Unlike the lower rungs of the working population the middle class has extra commitments and additional challenges to confront. They have to put up a decent face in society and live it up unlike the blue collar workers who may not be very particular in this respect.

Unlike in the past today there are many commitments and challenges faced by the middle and lower middle class. Parents in the middle income bracket will have to spend not only for the schooling of their offspring but also shoulder other expenses to enable their children to keep pace with the modern age.

Such imperatives were not there in the past when life coasted along at a leisurely pace. Also there is the mad rush to outdo others in the rat race which imposes a severe strain on domestic budgets of the middle class.

Today living goes much beyond satisfying one's basic needs and covers a whole gamut of other attractions which people find hard to resist. All these eventually means extra spending which a salary increase alone will not be able to meet.

Time was when a majority of our people were content enough to live within their means and did not indulge in extravagance.

Their wants were few in a milieu where life moved on at a sedate pace.

Times have changed. Today it is a race to outdo the other irrespective of the economic means at your disposal. Hence it is doubtful that a modest salary increase is going to going to satisfy this segment of the public who are today caught up in the vortex of unbridled consumerism.

No doubt a salary increase- whatever be the quantum at this particular time - would be most welcome by all sections of the working public. But in the equation what is lost sight of is responsibility that flows from such largesse.

Today those agitating for wage hikes have lost sight of this responsibility and also the need for austerity in the current context. Besides the additional cost of a salary hike would be a severe financial strain on the Government.

Thus there is need for circumspection on the part of those agitating for salary hikes at the drop of a hat. The Minister promised that a wage hike would be granted despite the war. He also enjoined the workers to ensure that they acted conscientiously and performed a job of work to justify their salaries.

Implied in the Minister's remark is that today salary hikes are a one way street and the workers do not give back in return what they get. This is much more evident in public sector institutions where no discipline is enforced nor accountability.

There is a general state of drift and lethargy in State sector institutions where staff remain idle. A familiar scene at these Government Departments are empty desks, staff huddled in chit chat , idle fans etc. which all point to a state of decay.

This is why there should be a system of performance based salary increments and work evaluation of staff. Today it is customary for the workers to demonstrate for wage hikes without attaching responsibility towards output. What is needed is a strong work ethic among our working population so that they would realise the importance of giving value for money.