TIRUCHY: Tasmac employees from Thanjavur staged a protest against the management’s order, which forces staff to buy back and stock empty bottles, saying it puts massive pressure on the workforce.

The workers closed the outlet for one hour in support of their protest on Monday.

The Tasmac administration has recently instructed employees to purchase empty bottles and store them in a designated space at their own expense. Ever since the order was passed, the employees commenced their protest in several forms.

On Monday, as a part of their ongoing protest, the Tasmac employees from as many as 137 outlets in Thanjavur staged a protest. They also opened the outlets with a one-and-a-half-hour delay in support of their protest. They wore black badges to mark their protest.

Workers allege that the new instruction would lead to unnecessary pressure among employees, apart from requiring them to spend money from their own pockets for storing empty bottles. They urged the management to withdraw the order immediately.

Tasmac officials held talks with the protesting employees. The officials announced that they would temporarily withdraw the order. Based on the assurance, the liquor shops were opened around 1.30 pm. The employees demanded separate manpower for collecting and stocking the empty bottles. They also warned that they would never follow such instructions in future.