Gopika I S By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite a strict directive that salespersons should have seating arrangements at their work places, they continue to suffer. In Thiruvananthapuram district, only a few shops have provided seating arrangements can be counted on one's fingers. Most of the textile shops are yet to implement the rule. With Onam fast approaching, the workload of the staff will see a huge rise. The Aadi sales (end of season sale) itself is stretching these workers to their limits. Sindhu, a salesgirl in a prominent textile shop, said, "We work for a meagre income. Fearing for our job, we keep quiet. They (owners) stand to lose nothing and can hire another person easily. I have varicose veins on my legs. It is very difficult to stand for long. On top of that, the air-conditioning takes everything out of me. I live far from the city and the bus is very crowded. I have to stand all the way home sometimes. The job is my necessity. So I persist." This not Sindhu's experience alone. Kavya, a former salesperson, said, "Wary of rebellion, some shops don't hire Malayalees. In my case, I was being worked overtime. The supervisors keep an eye on us through the cameras. If they find us resting for a moment, we are tagged as lazy and get rebuked. Even during our periods, we do not get sufficient toilet breaks. I quit the job after I ended up staining my clothes. It was a bad experience. For the past two months, I work in a small shop nearby. The pay is low, but it is not killing me mentally and physically." Shop owners, however, maintain that it is not practical to provide seating arrangements to all the salespersons."The sales are high during the season. Customers want immediate help. They will simply leave if salespersons take their time. No one stops my staff from resting. However, setting aside a particular time for rest is difficult," said a textile shop owner. Viji P, who led the movement demanding the 'right to sit', along with 'Penkootu' a group of determined women, said, "This is a result of the lackadaisical attitude of labour officers. We can make laws, but implementation is the key. The officers are not interested in implementing it. Action should be taken against them. I am fighting for its implementation in Kozhikode."It seems the salespersons have to continue the struggle.

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