Powerloom workers stir: Tripartite talks postponed

The announcement of Lok Sabha election schedule today forced the District Collector to postpone the tripartite talks to find an amicable solution to the 13-day old indefinite strike by Powerloom Job Workers in Coimbatore and Tirupur Districts over wage issue.
Representatives of job workers, textile manufacturers association and District Collector Archana Patnaik besides other officials were to take part in the talks, slated for today, to end the strike which has resulted in a production loss of Rs 50 crore daily.
However, the Collector postponed the meeting without fixing any future date as the officials had to hold an emergency meeting in view of the announcement of the poll schedule, official sources said.

Palladam Powerloom Job Workers Association President Velusamy told PTI that the indefinite strike would continue till a reasonable wage settlement was reached.
The wage was revised last some 19 months ago and the escalating raw material costs and also power shortage had put the workers in lot of hardships, who were waiting for a reasonable increase in the wages, he said.
The workers were demanding 80 per cent increase and the workers were expecting the next round of talks at the earliest, Velusamy said.