Gujarat govt steps in to resolve textile mill workers' strike

The workers took to the streets on June 4 demanding a 40 per cent hike in their wages.

The mills impacted so far due to the agitation are Arvind Ltd, Ankur, a division of Arvind, Ashima and Asarwa Mills.

"Leaders of Textile Labour Association (TLA) were authorised to hold dialogue with Ahmedabad Textile Mills Association (ATMA), but unless they get the representative board's approval they won't be able to do so," Deputy Labour Commissioner M B Jadeja said, adding out of eight textile mills in Ahmedabad, workers from at least four mills are on strike.

"After having got the approval of executive committee, we are in the process of seeking approval of representative board to negotiate on behalf of workers with ATMA," TLA General Secretary Amar Barot said.

"Once the board authorises us then we shall be in a position to initiate dialogue with the association," he said.

A few months back, TLA which is a representative union of textile workers, had filed a case in the industrial court against ATMA, which represents several textile mills including Arvind, demanding higher wages.

On June 4, around 200 workers at Arvind's Naroda plant stopped working, affecting the production there. The plant employs 3,400 workers and primarily produces denim fabrics. The plant has an annual capacity of 84 million metres out of 108 million metres of total denim capacity of the company. (More)