The Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn a controversial order that allowed factories to operate for 12 hours a day in the wake of protests by workers and trade unions. The government had issued the order on April 27 under the Factories Act, 1948, and it was supposed to be in effect until July 26, 2021. However, the order was met with criticism from various quarters, including trade unions and opposition parties, who argued that it was in violation of workers’ rights and would cause physical and mental stress.
The withdrawal of the order was announced on April 30 by the Tamil Nadu government, which stated that it had received representations from trade unions and workers’ organisations against the order. The government added that it had decided to revoke the order in the interest of workers’ welfare.
The decision was welcomed by trade unions, who had organised protests across the state against the order. They had demanded that the government revoke the order and restore the previous eight-hour workday norm. Trade unions had also threatened to launch a statewide strike if their demands were not met.
The Tamil Nadu government had earlier issued a government order mandating that workers in factories could work for up to 12 hours a day, as opposed to the earlier norm of eight hours a day, until June 30, 2021. The move was seen as a measure to increase industrial production amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the order was met with strong opposition from trade unions and workers’ rights organizations, who argued that it would lead to exploitation of workers and compromise on their safety and health.
Following the backlash, the state government issued another order on May 1, 2021, withdrawing the earlier order. The new order stated that the earlier government order would be kept in abeyance until further notice. The decision was welcomed by trade unions and workers’ rights organizations, who had planned to launch protests against the earlier order. The withdrawal of the order is expected to benefit lakhs of workers employed in various factories across the state.
