Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin Monday said the Bill passed by the state assembly on 21 April allowing 12-hour work days has been withdrawn.
Announcing the withdrawal during the May Day celebrations in the state, Stalin said, “Don’t think it’s a shame to give up. I consider it as pride. If it is brave to introduce a law, it is brave to withdraw it.”
He also appreciated the DMK allies that had opposed the Bill brought in by the state government. “This is an example of the DMK democratic movement,” Stalin said.
All MLAs will be informed through a message about the withdrawal, the CM said, while adding that the Bill was introduced to create employment opportunities in the northern and southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
“The bill was brought to attract huge investments and provide employment opportunities to the youth,” Stalin added.
The Tamil Nadu assembly had passed the Bill seeking amendment in the Factories Act, 1948, extending the daily working period from 8 to 12 hours. Labour minister C. V. Ganesan had then assured that the revised work hours were not given to all companies and factories but applicable “only at places where workers prefer it”.
Legislators had also assured that the current 48-hour work week will continue to exist even if the 12-hour work day was brought into place. The state government had also noted that there will be no changes in terms of weekly holidays and additional wages.
State Law Minister S. Regupathy had said that the 12-hour work week will bring forth “industrial flexibility”.
The Bill was opposed in the floor of the House by DMK’s allies like the Communist Party of India (CPI), the CPI (Marxist), the Congress, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).
Opposition parties like Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had walked out of the House.
In February this year, neighbouring Karnataka had also passed a law allowing working hours for labour up to 12 hours a day, but with maximum of 48 hours of work in a week.
As many as 10 states — Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Assam, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh — had in May 2020 also proposed tweaking labour laws in order to revise working hours to 12.
In May 2020, the Uttar Pradesh government had withdrawn its order increasing the daily work timings from 8 to 12 hours.
Also read: Stalin’s Mann ki Baat? How DMK show Ungalil Oruvan-Bathilgal is helping CM get closer to voters