Synopsis
Tiruppur powerloom weavers are set to begin an indefinite strike on March 19, demanding a wage increase. The association represents 150,000 members and has highlighted rising costs impacting their livelihoods.Key Takeaways
- Indefinite strike from March 19
- Demand for wage hike due to increased expenses
- Impact on 400,000 workers in the industry
- Potential daily losses of ₹3.5 billion
- Efforts at mediation by district administration
Chennai, March 13 (NationPress) The Tiruppur District Job-Working Powerloom Weavers Association, representing 150,000 members, has declared an indefinite strike commencing March 19, pushing for a wage increase.
The association has been engaged in protests recently, calling on textile manufacturers to adjust wages to reflect the rising expenses.
S.E. Boopathy, the association's treasurer, remarked, “We are advocating for a wage hike due to significant increases in our expenditures over the past three years. Costs for power tariffs, building rent, spare parts for powerlooms, and worker salaries have surged.”
In the Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts, which house approximately 250,000 powerlooms, nearly 400,000 workers are employed, producing around 12.5 million metres of woven fabric daily.
Industry analysts predict that the strike could lead to daily losses of about ₹3.5 billion.
Since 1991, powerloom wages have been adjusted every three years through negotiations involving textile manufacturers, weavers, and district collectors from Coimbatore and Tiruppur.
In February 2022, an agreement for a 15 percent wage hike was reached, but it has allegedly not been implemented by textile manufacturers.
Currently, the weavers are split into two factions. One faction, led by the Tiruppur and Coimbatore Powerloom Weavers Association, with 100,000 members, is insisting on the implementation of the previously agreed 2022 wage hike, while the other group is advocating for a complete new wage revision.
The Tiruppur district administration is working to mediate and resolve this conflict.
S. Prema, Assistant Commissioner of the Tamil Nadu Labour Department, commented, “One faction of weavers is demanding the previously agreed 2022 hike, while another is requesting a new increase. We are striving to find a consensus, as negotiations cannot advance with conflicting opinions.”
She also confirmed that the District Collector has instructed both factions to seek common ground, with discussions scheduled to take place with textile manufacturers soon.
Importantly, beyond the 400,000 directly employed workers, an additional 300,000 individuals rely indirectly on the powerloom industry in Tiruppur and Coimbatore, making a timely resolution essential to avert further economic repercussions.
