TIRUCHY: In the run-up to Deepavali, the big textile outlets in the city are decorated with lights, attracting a large number of people from the central region of Tamil Nadu. Silk sarees shimmer, intricate fabrics dazzle, and shoppers revel in festive mode.
Yet, amidst this kaleidoscope of colours a haunting truth remains out of sight. Behind every meticulously arranged shelf and elegantly dressed mannequin stands a salesperson, their body crying out in silence. Hours of compulsory standing have taken their toll, leaving legs swollen, backs aching and spirits weary.
These are salespersons at textile shops in Tiruchy enduring a silent torment despite a Government Order (G.O.) that mandates seating arrangements for workers in shops. Yet, for these workers, that basic dignity remains out of reach.
It was not easy to find a person to know their grievances as they don’t have an association to voice out for them. Anjali (name changed), a 35-year-old from Pettavaithalai who works in one of Tiruchy’s oldest textile outlets, shares her ordeal. “From when I step into the store at 9 am until I leave at 9 pm, I am on my feet. We sit during the half-an-hour lunch break and luckily when we are allotted work to paste stickers on dresses,” she said.
Working in a textile shop for over a decade, Rani (name changed) is now employed in a jewellery outlet on NSB road. She takes ayurvedic treatment for varicose veins. “There are times when my feet go numb even now though I can sit now at the workplace. While working in the textile shop, there was no chair, no place to sit and it felt like no one cared. Festival season or not, we are constantly monitored through CCTV cameras and instructed not to sit. Even during period days, no exceptions.”
“We heard about the G.O, but nothing changed,” says Kumar, another worker. “I can’t afford to stop working. My family depends on this income. But is it too much to ask for a simple stool to sit on?.”
Textile shop managements argue that allowing salespersons to sit might affect customer experience or reduce productivity during the festival hours. A shop manager on Chinna Kadai Veedhi said, “We have all chairs stocked in the generator room. Chairs hinder movement.”
A Ansardeen, AITUC district secretary, said, “The labour department has failed to protect the rights of employees who deserve a right to sit for a few minutes even when its peak season. Inspections are either infrequent or ineffective, and owners often circumvent the rules with impunity. We’ve seen officials come in for checks but nothing changes.”
“Officials should check the CCTV footage if the owners claim rules are followed, and take necessary action against the violators. With the huge turnover they get during festive times, the labour department fines them a paltry `2000,” said CITU district secretary Rengarajan.
Venkatesan, assistant commissioner of Labour, Tiruchy, said “We are regularly monitoring and fining the violators. We will give special attention as this is a festive season. Also, we will stick small posters at the outlets to ensure the rules are being followed.”