Chennai: Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) plans to regularise the services of about 23,000 employees working at its liquor outlets and depots, revise their salaries and raise the retirement age to 60. The move is part of the government’s strategy to curb overcharging of customers by improving the pay and service conditions of its workforce.Tasmac has prepared a proposal in this regard to be placed before the board of directors of the liquor corporation on Monday. The Tasmac board is chaired by prohibition and excise minister K Vignesh and comprises finance secretary, commercial tax secretary, home secretary, Tasmac’s managing director and prohibition commissioner as directors. If the board approves the proposal, the 23-year-long wait of Tasmac employees working at outlets will come to an end.Sources said that the new TVK govt wants to put an end to the MRP violation at the retail end and has decided to fulfil certain crucial demands of the workforce, including making their jobs permanent. The step comes after initiatives to streamline the payment of electricity bills and rent for all 4,000 shops in the State, as workers cite these as excuses to overcharge liquor buyers.Tasmac hired about 35,000 personnel on contract to work in its retail shops when it took over the retails sales in 2003. Their present strength is around 23,000. Currently, a shop supervisor draws a salary of ₹17,850 per month, while salesmen’s monthly salary is ₹15,530. Assistant salesmen’s salary is ₹14,340 per month. Job permanency, timescale pay, extension of retirement age were some of the major demands by Tasmac workers, but successive governments did not heed to their demands. While the salary of the personnel is likely to double, it is not clear if the workers will timescale pay and weightage for their experience.Excise and prohibition minister K Vignesh was not available for comment, but D Dhanasekaran, general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)-affiliated Tamil Nadu Tasmac Employees Union, said that they would wholeheartedly welcome the step if it is happening. “Similar proposals were rejected in the past, but we hope it gets approved at least this time,” he said.
