Weavers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur go on strike to get wage hike

Power loom weavers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts began an indefinite strike on Jan 9 alleging that the promised wage revision was not implemented.
File photo of a power loom worker (Photo | Express)
File photo of a power loom worker (Photo | Express)

COIMBATORE: Power loom weavers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts began an indefinite strike on Sunday claiming that the promised wage revision was not implemented. According to them, in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts, almost 95 per cent of power loom unit weavers are engaged in job work.

Master weavers would supply yarn to the job workers and pay them conversion charges for weaving fabric. The wage was supposed to be revised in 2017. Since there is a delay in implementing this, the joint action committee of weavers announced an indefinite strike from Sunday.

The committee alleged that as per tripartite talks held in November, chaired by representatives of working power loom weavers, master weavers and labour department officials agreed to a 20-23 per cent wage hike, which was to be implemented from December 1, 2021.

C Palanisamy, president of the job working power loom unit weavers association in Coimbatore and Tiruppur, said, “More than two lakh power looms operated by 40,000 weavers employ 2 lakh workers directly and 3 lakh indirectly in Somanur and Palladam. Once in three years, wages should be revised. But since 2014, wages have not been revised by master weavers.”

“After six months of negotiation, the wage revision for a one year period was reached during the tripartite meet in November. But it has not been implemented so far,” he added.

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