Chennai: Rattled at the growing opposition to the Bill extending the working hours to 12 hours a day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin made a climbdown, announcing that it is being kept in abeyance. This comes after a group of ministers held a discussion with representatives of various labour unions at the secretariat earlier in the evening and ahead of a meeting of leaders of alliance parties with the Chief Minister.
“Considering the views put forth by representatives of trade unions and political parties, further action on the 'Factories (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill, 2023' is being kept in abeyance,” the Chief Minister said in an official release. As a face saver, the government has sent this and 16 other Bills, passed by the Assembly on Friday, the last day of the budget session, to the Law Department. Barring the DMK, all political parties have criticised the move and demanded its withdrawal.
“DMK Governments have all along been a friend and a servant of the working class, being its protector like a fortress. It will continue to remain so,” the Chief Minister reiterated, listing the various pro-labour measures initiated by successive DMK governments. However, he justified the amendment as intended to create employment opportunities for the youth, especially those in southern and northern Tamil Nadu through securing big-ticket investments. Though the Bill had provisions to safeguard the workers, he added that the trade union representatives, at the consultative meeting with the group of ministers, have expressed their apprehensions about the adverse impact on workers.
Also read: Governor's role in question, Mamata calls up Stalin to formulate strategy
After the Bill was passed, Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu explained that many companies which have signed MoU to pump in investments desired flexible working hours to commence their operations. But, this invited criticism as to whether the Government is batting for MNCs by sacrificing hard-earned labour rights.
The government's clarification that the legislation was necessary to attract foreign investments and will be implemented only in a few enterprises that too on the willingness of employees has failed to cut ice with even with LPF, the ruling party's trade union. The LPF joined the opposition chorus and demanded it be withdrawn leaving the government with little option but to put it under cold storage. And, this is the first major confrontation between the allies and the DMK. With the LS poll next year, the DMK can disregard them – Congress, VCK, CPI(M), CPI, MDMK, TVK and MMK – at its own peril.
“This government, while firm in bringing a Bill, has the same firmness in respecting contrarian views from the people to the legislative initiative and acting accordingly,” is Stalin's rationale for the climb down. And, the meeting of the allies with Stalin turned out to be one to thank him for shelving the Bill.
In a related development, bowing to the outrage, the state government has also issued a fresh Government Order, replacing the earlier one which granted permission for serving liquor at festivals, functions, celebrations, and feasts at places other than commercial establishments. From right-wing cultural Puritans to the Left parties, everyone was on board in opposing it.
However, a temporary special license will be given for serving of liquor at national and international programmes including sports events at stadiums as it is prevalent in neighbouring Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. It was also seen as an attempt to give legal cover to illegal bars which have mushroomed across the state.
