Stalin withdraws Factories Amendment Bill on May Day
Political parties, including the MDMK, CPI, PMK, AIADMK, and BJP opposed the Bill with Congress staging a walkout from the Assembly.
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin who had put Factories (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill 2023 on hold which extends the daily working hours from 8 to 12 hours for factory workers, informed on Monday that he has withdrawn the Bill.
The Bill was passed by the State government in the Assembly on April 21 amidst strong opposition from the political parties, including allies of the ruling DMK.
The Amendment Bill empowers the State government to exempt any factory or group or class or description of factories from any or all of the provisions of Sections 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, or 59 of the Factories Act, 1948 or the rules made thereunder.
About the Act:
The Factories (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill seeks to insert "65A-Power to exempt in special cases" empowering the state government to exempt any factory or group or class or description of factories from any or all of the provisions of Sections 51, 52, 54, 55, 56 or 59 of the Factories Act, 1948 or the rules made thereunder.
On April 21, Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development CV Ganesan, who tabled the Bill, stated that there is no change in the clauses of 8-hour work, weekly holiday, and additional wages and added that the Bill was brought for industrial flexibility. The Minister also said that the State government is not against any factory as the law has not been brought to all companies and factories, and will be implemented only at places where workers want.
Political parties, including the MDMK, CPI, PMK, AIADMK, and BJP opposed the Bill with Congress staging a walkout from the Assembly.
On April 22, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan condemned the State government for passing the Bill.
On April 24, Representatives of the joint committee of trade unions, including the ruling party's Labour Progressive Front, and CITU, strongly registered their protest against the Tamil Nadu government for passing the Bill.
Leaders of the alliance parties of the ruling DMK met Stalin at the State secretariat on April 25 night and urged him to repeal the Bill.
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