Powerloom owners, workers seek payment of wages, arrears

Owners and workers of job-working powerloom units in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts, who are on an indefinite strike from April 2, today observed one-day fast demanding payment of wages and arrears as agreed upon in 2014.
They are on an indefinite protest demanding among others immediate settlement of arrears and implementation of 2014 wage settlement arrived at during a tripartite meeting, following a similar stir three years ago.
The fast is being observed at 10 places in two districts and the strike had resulted in loss of production of approximately Rs. 700 crore worth fabrics in the last 10 days.

The job working units make fabrics for textile manufacturers for wages for different grade of clothes.
The Job Working Units Association were hopeful that the district Collectors would call for negotiations but nothing had materialised so far, leaving them disappointed, said sources.
They also alleged that manufacturers were only giving three-fourth of the wages as against the agreement and said that a new wage settlement was due this year.
Besides affecting nearly two lakh workers, the strike would indirectly affect some three lakh others, sources said.