TASMAC employees have been staging a continuous protest against the implementation of the scheme to collect empty liquor bottles across Tamil Nadu. As a result, TASMAC shops have been closed in various places, and sales have been affected.
Employees in protest
Along with sending show-cause notices to the employees involved in the protest, more than 300 workers have been suspended. What is the employees’ stance on this government scheme? What practical difficulties are they facing on the ground? We asked Tamil Nadu TASMAC Employees’ Association (AITUC) state president N. Periyasamy about this.
What are the practical difficulties?
Speaking to us, he said, “During the talks held in Tamil Nadu on August 27, Prohibition and Excise Minister Vignesh assured that the consolidated pay for Tasmac employees would be increased to Rs. 33,000. That pay hike has started reaching employees from last September.
In addition, announcements such as one day off per week, the right to take two days of leave per month, and festival-season advances are also set to be fully implemented soon. However, the current protest is not one officially announced by any trade union; it is a protest that employees have voluntarily joined due to the practical difficulties they are facing...
Scheme to take back empty bottles
In accordance with the order of the Chennai High Court, and with environmental protection in mind, a scheme to take back empty bottles has been implemented from November 1. Under this, an amount of Rs. 10 for the empty bottle is added to the MRP of the liquor bottle and printed on it before being sold (for example, if the price of a liquor bottle is Rs. 140, the Rs. 10 amount for the empty bottle is added, and the MRP is fixed and printed as Rs. 150).
Unnecessary friction between customers and employees
Because the government wanted transparent, corruption-free administration, 90% of employees adapted and sold bottles at the MRP price itself. However, under the current new system, each bottle must be compulsorily scanned three times: the liquor bottle barcode, the MRP price, and the empty bottle hologram sticker. Due to network issues and delays in POS devices, billing takes a long time. As a result, crowds build up in shops, creating unnecessary friction and tension between customers and employees.
No bags were provided
Moreover, proper gunny sacks were not provided to collect the returned empty bottles. Since most TASMAC shops are only small 10x10 units, there is not enough space in the shops to stack the collected bottles. The government has announced that employees will be given additional pay for the extra task of collecting empty bottles: Rs. 1,000 per day in the Chennai Corporation area, Rs. 600 in other corporations, Rs. 800 in municipalities, and Rs. 750 in rural areas. The minister also said that if the number of bottles exceeds 1,000, this amount will be doubled to Rs. 2,000.
Employees under heavy workload
However, across the 4,048 TASMAC shops in Tamil Nadu, there are only 22,400 retail staff in total. That means, on average, only 3 to 4 employees work at each shop. In large outlets where sales range from Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh a day, this staff shortage and the lack of adequate infrastructure facilities have left employees under immense workload and mental stress.
Time needed
The trade unions fully welcome the government’s well-intentioned decision to curb corruption; however, additional tools, faster network facilities, the appointment of more staff, and sufficient time are absolutely essential for the proper implementation of this plan. We met the minister in person yesterday and discussed this matter.
The suspension must be revoked!
The government should withdraw the suspension actions taken against more than 360 employees who took part in the protest, as well as the show-cause notices issued to thousands of employees. The government should create an environment in which employees can work smoothly without any tension," he said.
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