Tasmac authorities face re-deployment issues of staff from closed outlets
A senior official from Tasmac told DT Next that each liquor shop will have one supervisor and two salesmen.
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CHENNAI: The fate of more than 1,500 Tasmac shop supervisors and salesmen is at stake with the closure of 500 liquor outlets, as the authorities have to find alternative jobs in various departments, since the number of vacancies are less in other outlets across the state.
When the AIADMK was in power in 2016-2017 after the Supreme Court ordered the closure of more than 700 Tasmac outlets along the highways, the same issue cropped up while redeploying the retail vending shop personnel.
A senior official from Tasmac told DT Next that each liquor shop will have one supervisor and two salesmen.
Pointing out that when 500 liquor outlets were closed, more than 1,500 Tasmac employees have to be redeployed, he said, “at present, only few vacancies are existing.”
Recalling the same re-deployment issue in 2017 when about 700 liquor shops were closed following the apex court order, the Tasmac official said about 2,000 salesmen could not be re-deployed immediately. “Most of them were not willing to go to other departments,” he said adding “only about 150 salesmen accepted to work as packers in fair price shops.”
Anticipating that the same re-deployment issue would arise now, the official said, “one more issue will also arise is that the Tasmac salesmen would not go to other districts even if the vacancies are existing.” The official said it would be a tedious process for the Tasmac authorities to redeploy the liquor salesman as they need to find equivalent jobs in other departments.
“Even in Tasmac offices there is not much office assistant posts vacant, which is equivalent to salesman cadre,” he said adding “one more issue is that if they (salesman) are willing to work as office assistant, they need to appear for a test.”
However, the Tasmac official assured that no employee would be retrenched.
Welcoming the move, TN Tasmac Workers Association state general secretary Tha Dhanasekaran said the state should take immediate steps to re-deploy salesmen from the closed shops to nearby outlets.