AgenciesThe Hind Mazdoor Sabha on Monday said it would start an agitation across Maharashtra if the recent decision to increase working hours in factories, shops and other establishments is not revoked.
The state government should immediately revoke this anti-worker decision as it will "legalize exploitation" of workers because the labour department lacks the manpower for adequate monitoring, Sanjay Wadhavkar, General Secretary of Maharashtra Council of Hind Mazdoor Sabha said.
"The decision has been taken under pressure from the Union government without trade union consultations to increase profits of corporate owners at the cost of workers' health and rights. The revised provisions not only extend the workday but also dilute existing safeguards. Earlier, a worker was entitled to 30 minutes of rest after 5 hours of work. Now, the break will come only after 6 hours," he added.
If the decision is not withdrawn, the Hind Mazdoor Sabha will unite with other trade unions and take to the streets across the state, Wadhavkar declared.
The Maharashtra cabinet on September 3 gave its approval to amend laws that will allow increasing the maximum daily working hours by making amendments in Factories Act 1948 and Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 2017.
With this, the limit of daily working hours in industries will increase from nine to 12 hours, while rest breaks will be allowed after six hours instead of five. The legal overtime cap will rise from 115 to 144 hours per quarter, with mandatory written consent from workers. Weekly work hours will also be extended from 10.5 hours to 12 hours, an official statement had informed.
Similarly, under the amended Shops and Establishments Act, daily working hours will be raised from nine to 10, overtime limits from 125 to 144 hours, and emergency duty hours will be extended to 12. The changes will apply to the establishments having 20 or more workers, it added.
The changes, which have been recommended by a central task force, will bring Maharashtra in line with states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura, which have already implemented similar reforms.
The state government should immediately revoke this anti-worker decision as it will "legalize exploitation" of workers because the labour department lacks the manpower for adequate monitoring, Sanjay Wadhavkar, General Secretary of Maharashtra Council of Hind Mazdoor Sabha said.
"The decision has been taken under pressure from the Union government without trade union consultations to increase profits of corporate owners at the cost of workers' health and rights. The revised provisions not only extend the workday but also dilute existing safeguards. Earlier, a worker was entitled to 30 minutes of rest after 5 hours of work. Now, the break will come only after 6 hours," he added.
If the decision is not withdrawn, the Hind Mazdoor Sabha will unite with other trade unions and take to the streets across the state, Wadhavkar declared.
The Maharashtra cabinet on September 3 gave its approval to amend laws that will allow increasing the maximum daily working hours by making amendments in Factories Act 1948 and Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 2017.
With this, the limit of daily working hours in industries will increase from nine to 12 hours, while rest breaks will be allowed after six hours instead of five. The legal overtime cap will rise from 115 to 144 hours per quarter, with mandatory written consent from workers. Weekly work hours will also be extended from 10.5 hours to 12 hours, an official statement had informed.
Similarly, under the amended Shops and Establishments Act, daily working hours will be raised from nine to 10, overtime limits from 125 to 144 hours, and emergency duty hours will be extended to 12. The changes will apply to the establishments having 20 or more workers, it added.
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