Trade unions have slammed the officials of Labour Department and Inspectorate of Factories for not taking stringent action against the units which functioned on May Day without following the guidelines in letter and spirit.
Double
wages
Labour Department officials told The Hindu that the units could function on the day provided they submit Form 5 A with the labourers’ signature and submit the same to the concerned officials besides paying the workers double wages for the day.
M. Chandran, state secretary of CITU, said that textile sector entrepreneurs were mostly interested in getting their works completed without looking at the rights of the labourers even on the May Day.
“Workers are usually asked to be present at the units rather in a forceful tone and exact double wages are not paid to many of the workers,” he alleged.
In the last few years, the trade unions have made complaints against host of units for not following the rules in its letter and spirit.
“However, only token actions have been taken sometimes as an eye-wash but most of the units that violates the rules meant for the May Day escaped action,” N. Sekar, the district president of AITUC, said.
