DMK allies to meet Stalin seeking Factories Amendment Bill withdrawal

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) party leaders are set to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday to withdraw the Factories (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill 2023, enabling 12 hours of work per day for factory workers, according to a Daily Thanthi report.Accordingly, leaders of the left-wing — Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), and others will meet the Chief Minister at 7 pm at the Secretariat in Chennai to urge the withdrawal of the Bill. Earlier today, the State government forwarded the Factories Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, enabling 12 hours of work per day to the State Law Department.The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday passed the Factories (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill 2023 providing flexible working hours for employees in factories across the State, amidst protests and claims by several parties that the Act would stretch the mandatory working hours to 12 hours from the present 8 hours duty. Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, however, assured that the total working hours in a week would remain unchanged for the workers who would now have the option to work for four days in a week and avail of three days of leave. “This would immensely benefit women workers,” he claimed. The Bill was, however, passed by voice vote as the ruling DMK enjoyed a majority in the House. The Bill was passed amid widespread protests against the DMK government’s move, including the allies like CPI, CPM, Congress, MDMK, and the VCK, apart from the opposition parties AIADMK, PMK, and BJP.