Owners of about 15,000 power loom units in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts that do job work for textile manufacturers (master weavers) have called off their strike as an agreement was reached here on Tuesday on the wage issue. P. Kumarasamy, secretary of Coimbatore district job-working power loom unit owners’ association, said that about two lakh looms in the 15,000 units in the two districts were not operating since February 21 demanding revision of wages.
Several rounds of talks were held by the District Collectors of Coimbatore and Tirupur and the officials of the labour department with the master weavers and the job-working unit owners. The unit owners sought 80 per cent increase in wages as the input costs had increased.
An agreement was reached on Tuesday for 30 per cent hike in wages for those who make the Somanur variety fabric and 27 per cent increase for those who make the other varieties.
“It is up to the Labour Department to ensure that the revised wages are paid,” he said.
An official in the department said that the officials held talks with the master weavers and the job-working unit owners.
“We have intervened and resolved the issue by giving advice to implement 30 per cent increase in wages for the Somanur variety and 27 per cent hike for the other varieties,” the official said. The higher wages will come into effect immediately.
