COIMBATORE: Powerloom weavers engaged in job-work in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts began their hunger strike at Somanur on Friday, demanding the implementation of the wage increase as promised by master weavers three years ago.
Hundreds of weavers participated in the five-day hunger strike that commenced on Friday. The weavers have been already on strike for 22 days since March 19.
According to officials, about 1.25 crore fabric is produced every day through over 2.5 lakh powerlooms being operated in Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts.
The weavers taking up piecework (job-work) from master weavers have been demanding a hike in wages every three years since 1991. In February 2022, 15% wage hike was agreed upon in the talks held between master weavers and powerloom weavers in the presence of district collectors of Coimbatore and Tiruppur.
However, a few months later, master weavers allegedly stopped paying the increased wages.
On March 19, powerloom weavers started an indefinite strike demanding the increased wage as agreed upon in 2022. They decided to start a hunger strike on Friday as there was no breakthrough.
SE Boopathy, president of Coimbatore and Tiruppur Powerloom Weavers Association, said, “The last wage hike of 20 to 23 % was decided in 2021. Later, it was reduced to 15% in 2022 and given for only three months. Earlier, the wage agreement was made in 2014. The number of powerloom units in operation has declined due to increase in power tariff, building rent, prices of spare parts and wages of workers.”
The weavers will not call off the strike until the old wage agreement is implemented, he added.