Textile industry workers continue strike in Surat

SURAT - Textile workers in Surat continued their strike, demanding better wages.

The textile workers have been demanding higher wages for some time now, and recently they called for a shutdown of all power loom units in the city as a mark of protest.

The workers called off the strike on January 21 after a meeting with mill owners, but even after that, they have not returned to work.

Speaking to mediapersons, Ajoy Bhattacharya, President of Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce, said the situation in the weaving segment of the textile industry is very serious.

“The industry and the workers have always been working in tandem in the past. However, this time there has been a hue and cry from the workers regarding hike in the wages. We talk to the industry, we talk to the workers and there was a proposal, which came forward from the workers to increase the price, hike the wages substantially. In spite of that, the workers are unable to get back to the work,” he said.

Bhattacharya further said that there were some elements trying to create havoc by preventing the workers from returning to their jobs

“This is a serious matter. I must add here that the departments, government, as well as the police department have done their bit and they have supported the whole cause. However, it is time now that the entire industry realizes, the workers realize, we all sit down and work out the solution and get back to the work,” said Bhattacharya.

Police personnel have been deployed at all loom factories in the city to protect the power looms from possible vandalism.

Surat is the hub of textile units and diamond cutting industry. (ANI)