2.5L powerloom units go on strike for wage revision

The powerloom units churn out two crore metres of fabric a day worth around Rs 100 crore. Over five lakh people are employed directly and indirectly in the units, which have now gone into an indefinite strike.

Powerloom unit owners alleged that the wages were not revised from 2020. “After several rounds of talks, the master weavers agreed to hike the wages by 20 per cent at a meeting in Coimbatore Collector office in November, last year. However, the master weavers delayed implementation of the revised wages,” said S Raj Kumar, a powerloom unit owner in Palladam.

Condemning the delay, the power loom units, mostly in areas such as Somanur, Karumathampatti, Thottipalayam areas in Coimbatore and in Palladam, Somanur, Avinashi Thekkalur, Mangalam, Kannampalayam and Pudhupalayam in Tirupur have stopped work.

Due to the strike, the allied sector, including mills, sizing units and the transportation sector were hit badly. The powerloom units have decided to intensify their protest, if their demand is not met.