The Kerala State Shops and Establishment Employees’ Federation will hold its State conference here on March 29.
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, general secretary K.P. Sahadevan said the conference would chalk out the federation’s future course of action, including agitation, demanding measures for protection of the employees.
According to him, there are nearly 10 lakh workers in the sector. They are facing a situation in which they are denied the wages fixed by the government and other lawful benefits. There are hundreds of textile shops in the State where the workers are forced to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and are not allowed to sit during their work. Most of them are not aware of their rights and their wages and benefits as per law. The workers are expelled if trade unions take up their issue.
Mr. Sahadevan said that though the LDF government had introduced a welfare scheme for the workers, only a small portion of the employees in the sector could be brought under it. The employees would be without any protection if the Central government implemented its decision to amend 14 labour-related enactments.
Centre of Indian Trade Unions State president Anathalavattam Anandan would inaugurate the conference. Federation president P.K. Gurudasan would preside over it.
The Kerala State Shops and Establishment Employees’ Federation meet on Sunday to chalk out course of action
