Chennai, Apr 30 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday extended greetings of International Labour Day to the people, saying his government will always protect the interests of labourers.

International Labour Day falls on May 1.

In a statement on Sunday, the Chief Minister said that whenever the DMK came to power, it implemented various welfare programmes for the benefit of the labourers and working class.

He pointed out that it was during the regime of the previous DMK governments that holidays with pay on May 1, apart from 20 per cent bonus for labourers, land for landless labourers and several other welfare programmes were implemented.

AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in his May Day greetings, said that labourers were to be remembered and respected not only for May 1 but for the entire year.

He also said that AIADMK leaders and former Chief Ministers, M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa had implemented several welfare programmes for the labourers.