The power loom weavers from Coimbatore and Tirupur have come together to participate in a strike demanding a wage hike for weavers.
Coimbatore: The power loom weavers from Coimbatore and Tirupur have come together to participate in a strike demanding a wage hike for weavers.

Participants of the strike also demanded that the Tamil Nadu government intervene and provide a solution.
As on Monday, the power loom owners are on the strike for the 15th day in Tirupur seeking a hike in wage.

The weavers from both Coimbatore and Tirupur, over 1,500 people, came together on Monday in Karanampettai protesting against the textile manufacturers refusing to pay the government-approved wage hike.
More than 2-lakh power looms are functioning in Coimbatore, Tirupur, and more than 5-lakh workers are employed. Power loom owners work by procuring cloth orders from the textile manufacturers on a wage basis and work. The wages for the sector are decided once in 3-years. However, since 2014, there has been no increase in wage sanctioned for the power loom owners.
As a result of the complaint filed by power loom owners supplicating to the government, the government ordered a wage hike last month. The textile manufacturers refused to grant the wage hike fixed by the government.
Thus, the Coimbatore and Tirupur District Powerloom Job Working Unit Owners Association weavers have been on strike since the 9th of January and the strike is underway for the 15th day, today. The agitators urged that the Government of Tamil Nadu should take steps to ensure that the prescribed wage hike is implemented. Officials of the association inform they would intensify the agitation, taking it to the next phase, if there was no amicable agreement as a result of the talks that are scheduled to be held on the 27th.
The protesting power loom owners also said that production loss of more than Rs.1,000-crore has been incurred so far at the rate of Rs.60-crore per day. Sulur AIADMK MLA Kandasamy also participated in the protest. The MLA, urged textile manufacturers to sanction the wage hike as fixed by the government and take action accordingly.
It may be noted that 5-lakh workers have lost their jobs since the strike has begun.
Participants of the strike also demanded that the Tamil Nadu government intervene and provide a solution.
As on Monday, the power loom owners are on the strike for the 15th day in Tirupur seeking a hike in wage.
The weavers from both Coimbatore and Tirupur, over 1,500 people, came together on Monday in Karanampettai protesting against the textile manufacturers refusing to pay the government-approved wage hike.
More than 2-lakh power looms are functioning in Coimbatore, Tirupur, and more than 5-lakh workers are employed. Power loom owners work by procuring cloth orders from the textile manufacturers on a wage basis and work. The wages for the sector are decided once in 3-years. However, since 2014, there has been no increase in wage sanctioned for the power loom owners.
As a result of the complaint filed by power loom owners supplicating to the government, the government ordered a wage hike last month. The textile manufacturers refused to grant the wage hike fixed by the government.
Thus, the Coimbatore and Tirupur District Powerloom Job Working Unit Owners Association weavers have been on strike since the 9th of January and the strike is underway for the 15th day, today. The agitators urged that the Government of Tamil Nadu should take steps to ensure that the prescribed wage hike is implemented. Officials of the association inform they would intensify the agitation, taking it to the next phase, if there was no amicable agreement as a result of the talks that are scheduled to be held on the 27th.
The protesting power loom owners also said that production loss of more than Rs.1,000-crore has been incurred so far at the rate of Rs.60-crore per day. Sulur AIADMK MLA Kandasamy also participated in the protest. The MLA, urged textile manufacturers to sanction the wage hike as fixed by the government and take action accordingly.
It may be noted that 5-lakh workers have lost their jobs since the strike has begun.