Trade Unions Committee demands Factories Amendment Bill withdrawal

CHENNAI: Representatives of the joint committee of trade unions, including the ruling party's Labour Progressive Front, and CITU, strongly registered their protested against the Tamil Nadu government for passing the Factories (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill 2023 to introduce flexible working and increase the working hours to 12 hours a day. They spoke in a single voice against the amendment in the Factories Act and demanded the government to withdraw it immediately.

The Bill was passed on April 21 in the Assembly amidst strong opposition from the alliance party leaders, who demanded the government to forward the Bill to the Select Committee.

After attending the meeting chaired by PWD Minister EV Velu, State president of CITU A Soundarajan said the government's decision to pass the Bill without consulting with the trade unions was "regrettable".

"We didnot expect this from the DMK government," he said and added that ministers assured them that they would communicate the views and thoughts of trade unions to Chief Minister M K Stalin by tonight. "If we do not receive a positive reply from the government, we will go ahead with the protest," he said.

He also pointed out the working hours in G20 countries are less than 40 hours per week.

Labour fronts of the DMK's allies have also expressed the same view.

M Shanmugham of LPF has also spoke against the government move.

General secretary of AIADMK's Anna Thozhsangam Pervai R Kamalakannan demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Bill.