AIR 1992 SUPREME COURT 504 ::1992 AIR SCW 88 ::1992 LAB. I. C. 289 ::1992 ( ) Lab LR 1 ::1992 (1) UJ (SC) 308 ::1991 (2) CurLR 863 ::(1991) 6 CorLA 199 ::(1991) 63 FacLR 928 ::1992 (1) SCC 290 ::1992 SCC (L&S) 271 ::(1992) 1 LabLJ 340 ::1992 (80) FJR 1 ::1992 (2) MadLJ16 ::1992 (1) ServLR 219 ::(1991) 4 JT 243 (SC) ::1991 (4) JT 243

Supreme Court Of India

(From : Madras)*

Hon'ble Judge(s): Ranganath Misra, Kuldip Singh , JJ

(A) Industrial Disputes Act (14 of 1947) , Sch.III Item.1— Wage structure - Minimum wage, Fair wage, Living wage - Distinction - Minimum wage - Fixation - Norms for - Minimum wage is not just contract - Must be tested on anvil of social justice. Wage structure - "Minimum wage", "Fair wage" and "Living wage" - Distinction. Minimum Wages Act (11 of 1948) , Preamble— Broadly, the wage structure can be divided into three categories - the basic "minimum wage" which provides bare subsistence and is at poverty-line level, a little above is the "fair wage" and finally the "living wage" which comes at a comfort level. It is not possible to demarcate these levels of wage structure with any precision. There are, however, well accepted norms which broadly distinguish one category of pay structure from another.(Para 8) @page-SC505 The concept of ' minimum wage' is no longer the same as it was in 1936. Even 1957 is way behind. A worker's wage is no longer a contract between an employer and an employee. It has the force of collective bargaining under the labour laws. Each category of the wage structure has to be tested at the anvil of social justice which is the live-fibre of our society today.(Para 12) The Tripartite Committee of the Indian Labour Conference held in New Delhi in 19....