The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government has conceded demands of employees of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) to the extent possible and given them concessions, without taking into account as to during whose tenure they were appointed, Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi said on Tuesday.
Explaing various welfare measures of the DMK regime for the TASMAC employees, the Chief Minister said that after the present regime took over, the pay for the workers was increased twice. The duration of working hours was reduced from 16 hours fixed during the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime to 12 hours. On a rotational basis, a weekly holiday had been introduced. For the last three years, 20 per cent bonus and ex-gratia had been given to the workforce as against 10 per cent in the previous AIADMK regime. The amount of solatium given to those who died in harness was increased from Rs.1 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh.
Mr Karunanidhi was responding to AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa’s call to the government to fulfil demands of the agitating workers of the TASMAC.
He gave an account of how anti-labour measures were carried out when the AIADMK was in power.
