A delegation of key office bearers from the Federation of Forestry and Certified Company Workers (FFCCW)/TKTMS, an affiliate of the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), met with Tamil Nadu's Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion, and Commerce, T.R.B. Rajaa, on 19 February 2025. Led by Ponkumar Ponnuswamy, the delegation engaged in discussions on pressing labour issues, including the regularisation of contract workers, health and safety concerns, and wage discrepancies at Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL).

Ponnuswamy expressed gratitude to the minister and his department for their continued support, which has already facilitated the regularisation of a significant number of contract workers. He also urged the government to remove the minimum educational qualification requirement to enable the regularisation of the remaining contract workforce. Additionally, the delegation highlighted wage irregularities, citing reports that forestry workers were receiving only INR 240 per tonne from contractors, despite the company allocating INR 840 per tonne for their labour.

Minister Rajaa assured the delegation of decisive action, including relaxing the educational criteria for regularisation and holding contractors accountable for wage violations. He also pledged to ensure that personal protective equipment (PPE) is made available to workers. He warned that contractors found in violation of labour laws would be barred from bidding for projects for the next 10 years. Furthermore, he committed to reimbursing workers directly for the cost of PPEs.

Ponnuswamy welcomed these commitments, stating, “The persistent efforts of FFCCW have led to the regularisation of around 860 contract workers after 25 years of service, alongside improvements in health, safety, and wage conditions. We sincerely thank the Hon’ble Minister for his continued support and proactive approach in advancing workers’ rights and fair business practices.”