Tasmac employees' sit-in protest from Dec 16

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Sales Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) employees have decided to stage an indefinite sit-in protest in front of the Secretariat from December 16 to urge the government to fulfil various demands, including making them permanent staff, besides providing pension benefits.

The decision was taken during the executive committee meeting of Tamil Nadu TASMAC Employees' Association (AITUC) at the Tamil Nadu AITUC office in Chennai.

Association's general secretary D Dhanasekaran said for the last 23 years, the Tasmac employees with continuous service have been urging for their jobs to be made permanent and for time-scale pay and pensions to be provided.

"Thr AITUC had already sent its demands regarding job permanency, time-scale pay, and pension to the administration and the government on June 2," he said, adding, "though over the past six months, negotiations have occurred twice with the Managing Director of Tasmac and once with the Minister for Prohibition and Excise, yet no constructive negotiations have begun on these demands, causing significant anxiety and distress among the workers."

He also claimed that since Tasmac administration continues to claim that the demands require a government policy decision and approval, the association insists that the government must take a policy decision on these demands.

"Employees, led by association president N Periyasamy, will gather and march in front of the Tasmac MD's office from December 16, before proceeding as a group for an indefinite sit-in protest in front of the secretariat," he added.