Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday said that the State’s recent controversial Bill, amending the Factories Act, 1948, to enable extended working hours in select factories, has been withdrawn.
Addressing May Day celebrations organised by the ruling DMK-affiliated Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) at the May Day Park in Chennai, Mr. Stalin said that all the MLAs would soon be told about the withdrawal of the Bill.
Owing to strong opposition from trade unions and political parties following the adoption of the Bill by the Assembly on April 21, senior Ministers had held talks with trade unions two days later, on April 24. Mr. Stalin had announced on the same day that further action on the Bill had been put on hold. The amendment would have enabled exemption to industries from the present norms on maximum work hours, holidays and overtime wages as defined in the Act.
