Power loom workers’ strike ends

The fortnight-long strike by the power loom workers of Pallipalayam came to end on Sunday, thanks to the wage revision settlement arrived at during the talks held in the presence of State Industries Minister P. Thangamani.

The power loom owners agreed to hike the wages by 21.5 per cent and also give the revised wages with retrospective effect from April 1, during the talks which continued till Saturday midnight.

The workers employed in more than 20,000 power looms in Pallipalayam and surrounding areas began the indefinite strike on April 26 demanding new wage revision pact. The previous wage agreement expired a few months ago.

The power loom workers unions affiliated to the CITU, AITUC, AICCTU and other unions demanded 25 per cent hike in wages.

The talks convened by District Collector V. Dakshinamoorthy on April 25 failed to end the deadlock, as the trade unions struck to their demand of 25 per cent revision. Following this, the trade unions launched the indefinite strike.

K. Mohan, district secretary of the Visaithari Thozilalar Sangam affiliated to the CITU, and M. Selvaraj of the AITUC signed the agreement. However, the AICCTU did not sign the agreement. The AICCTU sources told

The Hindu that it did not sign the agreement as its demand for 25 per cent hike was not conceded.

The official sources said that the wage agreement, which would be in force for two years, would benefit about 15,000 families of Pallipalayam involved in this industry. The CITU and AITUC sources said that the workers would return to work on Monday.