VELLORE: Over 500 powerloom weavers laid a siege to the collectorate here on Thursday, demanding a solution to their month-long strike for better wages. The siege created a flutter in the locality as the weavers entered into a heated argument with the police who tried to clear them. The weavers sat in front of collectorate blocking the road for nearly 30 minutes. Children and women also took part.
Weavers from Sholinghur, Ponnai, Panapakkam and Kodaikal are striking since August 21 after agents reduced their wages. The weavers supply lungi materials to popular brands through agencies. While owners of brands had fixed a wage of `8850 for 600 metres of material, the agents were paying them much lesser, the weavers claimed.
“The Ranipet RDO chaired tripartite talks but the agents did not agree to pay the fixed wages,” said V S Raja, a weaver. The agents reduced the wages three times from last year,” said Kumar, another weaver. Following the agitation, officials assured to hold talks again.