Though Deepavali is just one month away, workers employed in Tirupur knitwear industry are still uncertain about the scale of bonus they will receive. The trade unions have already come out in open with demands for higher scale of bonus this as compared to last year.
“We are seeking a hike in the range of 2 per cent to 10 per cent. In 2014, bonus has been disbursed in the band of 8.33 per cent to 30 per cent of the annual wages with scales for individual units fixed by the respective owners,” pointed out C. Moorthy, president of Baniyan General Workers Union, one of the major trade unions in the knitwear industry here.
The workers say that they have every reason to ask for a higher scale of bonus.
“Business has gone up with apparel exports from Tirupur going from Rs. 12,000 crore two years ago to the present level of Rs. 20,000 crore annum as per the statistics given by the industry associations itself ,” pointed out Mr. Moorthy.
G. R. Senthilvel, secretary of Tirupur Exporters and Manufacturers Association, said the entrepreneurs too wished to give better bonus scales. “Considering the shortage of skilled labourers, a good scale of bonus is essential to retain the talent in the cluster,” he added.
Another factor that worries the workers is that the unit owners usually give the bonus only a day or two before Deepavali.
“We cannot buy new clothes or sweets for our family members early enough” said some of the migrant workers hailing from southern districts of the State.
The trade unions have already come out in open with demands for higher scale of bonus this as compared to
last year
