Amendment Stipulating 12-Hour Work Day Withdrawn: Tamil Nadu CM
The Tamil Nadu government in India has withdrawn the Factories (Amendment) Act 2023. The bill aimed to extend the maximum working hours for factory workers from eight to twelve flexible hours per day. But the government decided to withdraw the amendment after taking stock of stakeholder concerns around the bill.
The news was announced by Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on the occasion of Labour Day on May 01, 2023.
Interestingly the Factories Act of 1948 says that an adult cannot work for more than 48 hours per week and not more than 9 hours in a day.
A look at the provisions of Section 51 of the Act also takes the spread over into consideration and says that it should not exceed 10-1/2 hours.
This dichotomy between central legislation and the state bill can only be resolved through a dialogue between the relevant authorities and stakeholders. When it comes to working hours in factories, the safety and welfare of a worker becomes a talking point and when trade unions get involved, the talking point soon takes the shape of activism to protect worker rights.
While the common concern, in this case, emerged from the fear of exploitation, the Tamil Nadu government has laid emphasis on keeping the interest of workers as their priority in the matter.
