Workers of over 30,000 power-loom units in Tamil Nadu have gone on an indefinite strike on Thursday over claims that they were not being adequately compensated for their work.
Workers in Tirupur, Avinashi, Palladam and nearby areas are reluctant to work any further, and have stated that job work charges were not given in accordance to the increased slabs by the textile units for fabric production, as per the three-year agreement signed in 2014.
R Velusamy, President, Tirupur District Job Work Powerloom Weavers Association, said, “For items agreed for Rs 8 per metre, they pay only Rs 6.8. For cheaper varieties, it goes down from Rs 3.5 to Rs 1.2.” Velusamy also pointed out that the charges are mostly being given as per older wage slabs.
The region is a hub of textile fabric production, manufacturing around 1.2 crore meters/day. Due to this strike, the industry will incur losses of around Rs 50 crore/day and affect the livelihood of over 2 lakh workers.
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According to industry experts, this strike is going to affect other allied industries, such as ginning, spinning, winding and bleaching. The unit owners are adamant on not dissolving the strike until their demands are met. The power-loom operators have claimed that textile manufacturers have violated the agreement that was signed in 2014. Even the labour department’s order to abide by the agreement, they allege, is being defied.
The textile manufacturers have been unavailable for comment so far.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
