Thiruvananthapuram: Even before the city corporation conducted a raid on the Thiruvananthapuram-based Ramachandran Textiles on Thursday, the firm had been charged with 11 cases of violations based on the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Act. This is not the only establishment to have cases of violations, according to a press release issued by the labour department.
Labour Commissioner K Biju assured that the Labour Department will initiate action against all establishments which have not arranged accommodation, as specified by the law. Additional labour commissioner (Enforcement) A. Alexander said, “we had conducted a raid on Ramachandran Textiles two months ago. The employers had failed to provide facilities like adequate numbers of staff toilets, crèche and resting facility as was specified in the Act. Many other big textile shops in the city are in the list of offenders,” he said.
Though the establishment was asked to furnish registers with details of the employees, it had not obliged, he said. They conducted two more raids on July 12 and 18 - before the corporation raid – led by district labour officer K.G. Valsalakumar.
The dormitory on the top floor of Ramachandran was a closely kept secret. “We plan to conduct a series of raids to check the accommodation facilities of various textile shops,” said Mr Alexander. Though there could be many human rights violations, activists find it hard to get the employees to talk. Sheena Basheer, organiser, SEWA Union, says, “we tried to talk to the women in some major textile shops. However, under the constant watch of floor supervisors, they would not even talk among themselves.”
It was to safeguard the rights of employees in the unorganised sector that the Asamghatitha Meghala Tozhilali Union (AMTU) was formed. Its state secretary P. Viji said, “if the dormitory facility is right above the shop, then there is a high possibility that the employees are made to work even after the shutters are down.”
