CHENNAI: Three senior ministers and senior officials will hold talks with trade union representatives on Monday regarding the Factories Act amendment passed in the Assembly on Friday. The move comes in wake of strong opposition to the legislation even from the ruling DMK’s allies who fear the amendment will lead to 12 hours of daily work for employees.
“PWD Minister EV Velu, MSME Minister TM Anbarasan, Labour Minister CV Ganesan, Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu and senior officials will hold talks with the representatives of the trade unions,” an official release said on Saturday.
The release also said industries minister and labour minister have already explained in detail how the present bill passed by the assembly is different from the legislation of the union government, and the amendment to the Factories Act, 1948 in certain aspects would increase investments in TN. It is perhaps the first time that the allies of DMK are expressing their displeasure against a move so strongly.
AIADMK general secretary Edapapdi K Palaniswami, who was absent when the bill was passed in the Assembly on Friday, joined the chorus on Saturday. In a statement, he described it as an anti-worker move and warned that if the DMK government fails to withdraw it immediately, the AIADMK will take all steps to safeguard the interests of the workers.
“Eight-hour work per day has been a basic right and when the central government brought an amendment in 2020, MK Stalin who was the leader of the opposition stoutly opposed this. Stalin should look back at his own past statement now,” he said.
Strongly opposing the bill, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan said all democratic forces should come forward to fight for the withdrawal of this bill and pointed out that the only non-BJP-ruled state that brought this legislation is Tamil Nadu.
CPI state secretary R Mutharasan said the explanations given by state ministers on the bill are aimed at creating confusion amongst the workers. Stalin should restrain from forwarding the bill to the governor to get his assent and repeal this since it would indeed shut the doors for creating new employment opportunities,” he said.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, in a hard-hitting statement, said the bill enacted by the state Assembly would make workers bonded labourers. “The explanation that flexible working hours would not be implemented by all industries and that the workers would not be compelled for this would only be in the letter. In a day, allocating eight hours for work and eight hours for family and eight hours for sleep is a healthy way of leading life. Working beyond the limit would affect the body and mind of the workers very much,” he added.
Government’s justification
Official sources on Saturday justified the move citing states like Karnataka have already enacted such bills to woo new industries. “If Tamil Nadu doesn’t bring flexibility in working hours, new industries would go to neighbouring states. Also, the state has to compete with countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The union government made amendments to the Factories Act, 1948 in 2020 but it is yet to be notified. The union government said states could enact their own legislation,” they said, adding the weekly 48-hour limit is not removed.
`“This is only an option being made available to the employee and employer and definitely not mandatory. They also pointed out that even now, under the current Factories Act 1948, grievances like exploitation of 8-hour shifts and 48-hour weekly cap are being addressed by labour department officers. The same mechanism will be applicable to the new shifts also and all complaints will be addressed,” they added.