With the 200-odd workers not relenting in their strike at Arvind Limited's Naroda plant in Ahmedabad, the local labour department has summoned both the company's management and workers. Demanding a 40 per cent wage hike, over 200 workers from about 3-4 departments including rope dyeing and spinning have abstained from work since Monday.
"We have written letter to both the Arvind management and the striking workers, summoning them on Thursday at our office. Once we hear each other's cases we will be able to provide necessary directions," said Shruti Modi, dealing assistant labour commissioner, Labour Department, Government of Gujarat.
With its plant operations affected partially, the company has been running the same with the efforts of some permanent and contract workers as well as workers from other plants. The plant employs about 3,500 workers,
Termed the strike 'illegal', Arvind Ltd had cited that the Textile Labour Association (TLA), which represents textile mill workers, had already filed a petition in the industrial court demanding higher wages.
However, the striking workers have been unrelenting about their abstinence from work. "We have been summoned by the state government's labour department. We are sure our plea will be heard rightly. We will not return to work until our demand for 40 per cent wage hike is heard," said Yashpal Jaiswal, worker activist at Arvind's Naroda plant.
The Naroda plant primarily makes denim fabrics and has annual capacity of 84 million metres out of 108 million metres of total denim capacity of Arvind.
Meanwhile, TLA has also been making efforts to convince the workers to resume work. "We have been trying to convince them to return to work and have assured them our full support in seeking competitive wages," said Amar Barot of Textile Labour Association.