Rest still a favour, not a right, for retail-staff in Chennai
Retail staff in Chennai are facing challenges regarding their right to rest during long working hours. Despite a legal provision mandating seating for employees, many establishments continue to neglect this requirement. Workers often resort to resting in washrooms or asking for permission to sit, highlighting the ongoing struggle for basic rights in the retail sector.
- ▪The Tamil Nadu government amended the Shops and Establishments Act in 2021 to ensure retail workers have seating arrangements.
- ▪Many workers report having to ask for permission to sit down during their shifts, which can last up to 12 hours.
- ▪Labour inspectors are supposed to enforce compliance with seating arrangements, but violations are still common.
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60-year-old Kajal limps a little when she walks. She credits it to the 12-hour shifts she’s been doing for six days a week for the past 24 years at Pothys, a prominent clothing store in Chennai. The varicose veins bulging on her legs have handicapped her forever. When the pain becomes unbearable, she takes an injection and gets back to work. “Chairs in the showroom came only about two years ago. I worked standing for over 20 years. So now also I prefer to stand,” she said.It is not uncommon to find exhausted staff dozing off in their showrooms’ washrooms or staircases. When asked why she came to the washroom to rest, Mahe, who has been working at the store for eight years, said, “Outside, the cameras will spot us.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hindu — Top.
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