LIC Agents Dharna Demands Fixed Minimum Wage

LIC Agents’ Organisation of India (LICAOI) affiliated to the Center of Indian Trade Unions(CITU) conducted an all-India level dharna on 7th August. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is an Indian state-owned investment company and an insurance group. The dharna began at 10a.m.attheAnna Nagar Divisional office. The uproar kept repeating the statement “Save Life,Protect Agents” and the demands are expected to help11lakh benefactors. 

The demands of the LICAOI are that the minimum wage of the employees should be raised to Rs.18,000 and Rs.3,000 should be fixed as the minimum pension. Insurance regulatory and development authority’s suggestions must be implemented. Medi-claim policy should be made available for all the employees. Mobile app must be given to all the agents. A due list should be given in printed form with the address. GST on all the policies should be removed. For policy gain, an acknowledgement should be given.Provident fund of Rs.10 lakh should be made available. 

“After 5 PM the demands were submitted to the LIC administration and the divisional officers. Only if we constantly demand they will avail the benefits, if not, the process will be laidL back.(sic.) We are emphasising our needs and hence we are conducting the dharna. We are hopeful that our company will implement the plan. On the other hand,if they don’t react to it we will talk with the Central Committee members and conduct a larger protest,” said D.K. Venkatesh, General Secretary of LIC Agents’ Organisation of India.

“The employees are having a livelihood issue. Every day we spend Rs.120 for petrol expenses because we drive nearly 60-70 kms. If we are given minimum wage, then we believe that it will encourage us to perform better. Also,the amount was fixed by the Central Government and accepted by the Supreme Court. Now we don’t have minimum wages, we are paid only the commission for our work. The Central government has given a recommendation which says Rs. 18,000 should be paid for the people of the unorganised sector,” said D.K. Venkatesh. 

Last Sunday,The Hindu reported as stated by LIC employees, “The Union government, instead of divesting the public sector undertakings that were serving the public in the best possible fashion, should make all-out efforts to protect the units”. A resolution was later passed that said,instead of safeguarding the PSUs the Centre was divesting its stake even though PSUs were serving the public in the best manner possible. “Hence,the GST levied on insurance tax premium should be withdrawn,” the meeting said.