Tasmac employees, led by those affiliated to the CITU, observed a hunger strike here on Wednesday urging the State government to fulfil their charter of demands.

The employees urged the government to immediately fulfil their demands, including regularisation of services and time-scale pay.

The protesters said the TVK, as its election promise, said Tasmac employees, who worked continuously on a temporary basis for over 23 years would be regularised immediately. The services of the workers should be regularised, they said.

The Tasmac employees said they should be granted time-scale pay, including basic salary and dearness allowance on a par with employees of other government retail organisations such as Amudham Stores, Amudham Fair Price Shops, Aavin, Co-optex, and Poompuhar Handicrafts.

They said the task of collecting empty liquor bottles should not be imposed on the employees. Instead, the scheme should be implemented through an alternative method that did not adversely affect the employees, they said.

The retirement age of 60 applicable to those the other government organisations should also apply to Tasmac employees, and the staffing levels at Tasmac shops should be determined based on the sales volume, they said.

They said the implementation of Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) scheme to cover the medical treatment for Tasmac employees and their families should be assured.

They also called for the establishment of separate cash and sales counters to streamline operations at Tasmac outlets.

A large number of Tasmac employees and the office-bearers of trade unions from Madurai and the neighbouring districts participated in the protest.

Published - July 15, 2026 11:20 pm IST