A bench of justices comprising Markandeya Katju and C K Prasad said employers cannot exploit the workers by claiming that they were working under a contractor and deny them the rightful labour benefits like wages and perks.
“Court cannot countenance such practices any more. Globalisation/liberalisation in the name of growth cannot be at the human cost of exploitation of workers. The Labour court has held that, in fact, the concerned workmen were working under the orders of the officers of the appellant and were being paid Rs 70 per day while the workmen/employees of the contractor were paid Rs. 56/- per day,” the apex court said.
The apex court said it while dismissing the appeal by Bhilwara Dugd Utpadak Sahakari Ltd, Rajasthan, challenging the concurrent findings of the labour and the high court which had held that the employer was indulging in "subterfuge" by resorting to discriminatory wage structures.