Powerloom job workers continue strike

Minister for Handlooms and Textiles K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran (third left), Minister for Labour T.M. Anbarasan (second left), Pongalur N. Palanisamy, Minister for Rural Industries (second right), M.P. Saminathan, Minister for Highways (right), and Coimbatore District Collector P. Umanath at the talks held in Coimbatore on Aug. 25, 2009, with job-working powerloom unit owners and textile manufacturers. Photo:S. Siva Saravanan

A majority of powerloom job workers here are continuing their indefinite strike, which began on August 5, despite the Tamil Nadu Government asking workers and textile producers to arrive at an amicable settlement over wages and run the powerlooms by today.

Over 25,000 job workers (those taking yarn on contract from textile producers), with two lakh powerlooms in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts, are on strike protesting the ‘breach of wage agreement’ by the Textile Producers Association, which, they said, was paying 10 per cent reduced wages citing decline in the market for the grey fabrics.

Four State ministers last week held talks separately with both the associations and asked them to resolve the issue amicably by Sept. 1

State Highways Minister M P Swaminathan held talks with the office bearers of Powerloom Job workers Association last night at Tirupur. “We are sticking to our demand and urged him to convince the producers to pay the wages as agreed upon,” Velusamy, president of the association, told PTI.

Mr. Swaminathan held talks with Textile Producers Association this afternoon.

The Minister has called the office bearers of workers association for another round of talks this evening,Mr. Velusamy said.