Karnataka has released its draft Code on Wages Rules on January 27 to fix and enforce minimum wages in the state. The draft mostly copies the central government’s 2019 Code on Wages framework. Labour unions have voiced strong concerns. They say the draft sets low wages and weak enforcement, leaving most workers, especially informal, women, and domestic workers, outside its effective reach. Satyanand Mukund, State secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress, stated, "The Code effectively excludes over 90% of India’s workforce." He pointed out that digital compliance and employer self-reporting hurt workers without documentation or bargaining power. The draft defines worker classes by skill and zones like metropolitan or rural areas. It bases wages on family needs covering food, clothing, housing, education, and medical costs. It also requires annual inflation-linked dearness allowance (DA) revision. However, unions say the draft keeps the central Code’s limited scope. Maitreyi Krishnan of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions described the Codes as "fundamentally anti-worker" and criticized the state for not resisting their implementation. She also said the housing cost calculations are unrealistic. The biggest concern is the floor wage fixed by the Union government, which states cannot go below. The Code lacks a clear method or mandatory update for this floor wage. Mukund warned, "The floor wage often becomes the default benchmark, particularly in fiscally stressed States, pushing wages downward." Other changes include removing occupation-wise scheduled employment wages, now replaced by skill and geography-based wages. The uniform wage definition excludes components like house rent allowance, bonuses, overtime, and employer provident fund contributions, capped at 50%. Mukund explained this allows employers to keep wages and linked benefits low. The merging of the Equal Remuneration Act into the Wage Code also raised gender justice concerns. Unions say it removes an explicit standalone law against gender-based wage discrimination, despite using gender-neutral language in the new Code.