Chennai: Soon sales persons working in textile and jewellery showrooms and all other establishments in Tamil Nadu will have the ‘right to sit’ during work hours. State Labour Welfare Minister C V Ganesan on Monday tabled a Bill in the Legislative Assembly to amend the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act, 1947 to make it mandatory for establishments to provide seating facility at workplace.
Many large multi-department showrooms, leading textile and jewellery brands in Tamil Nadu presently do not provide chairs or stools for salespersons to sit during work hours. Due to this, they are forced to stand up to 10 hours or even beyond attending to customers, leading to physical strain and varicose veins.
“The premises of every establishment shall have suitable seating arrangements for all employees so that they may take advantage of any opportunity to sit which may occur in the course of their work and thereby avoid ‘on their toes’ situation throughout the working hours,” the proposed amendment to introduce Section 22-A in the Act read. The Bill acknowledged that the employees are now made to stand throughout their duty time resulting in varied health issues.
“Considering the plight of the employees who are on their toes throughout their duty time, it is felt necessary to provide seating facilities to all the employees of the shops and establishments,” the Bill read.
The Bill was hailed by various sections saying it would help restore dignity of labour. In 2016, workers, particularly women workers in textile showrooms in Kerala had gone on a protest against the practice of not providing seating arrangements for them at their workplaces. Following this, the Kerala Government in 2018, enacted a law recognising the right of employees to sit at workplace.
Activists said that for the Tamil Nadu Bill to be effective, it needs to be implemented in earnest with penalty for those who violate the mandate of providing seating facilities in commercial establishments.
