A total of 167 daily wage workers aged between 40 and 55 at Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) have appealed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, seeking regularisation of their services after enduring years of precarious employment and meagre wages.
Represented by the Daily Wage Workers Association, the employees highlighted that many of them had served the university for 15 to 20 years.
Despite their long-standing contributions across various departments, these workers receive a daily wage of just ₹500—capping their monthly earnings at a maximum of ₹10,000 regardless of the number of days worked.
The workers said they had been deprived of basic rights such as EPF (Employees’ Provident Fund) and ESI (Employee State Insurance). According to the association, wage revisions based on District Collector orders have not been properly implemented since 2019, and multiple appeals to senior university officials have gone unheeded.
The petition also addresses a policy shift made under the previous administration in 2024, which introduced TNPSC-style recruitment procedures at the university. The workers are requesting a rollback or reconsideration of this rule, pointing to historical precedent at MKU.
Under an older regulation from 2006, individuals who completed 10 years of service as daily wage workers at the university were granted permanent status. The employees are now urging the current administration to extend similar relief, citing the DMK government’s broader stance and guidelines supporting regularisation for those who have completed five years of daily-wage service.
With workers now crossing 45 to 55 years of age, the association appealed to the Chief Minister to intervene, relieve them from years of economic distress, and secure the futures of their families through permanent employment.
Published - October 20, 2026 08:54 pm IST