Surat: With embroidery workers set to launch a two-day protest on Thursday and Friday, the district administration stepped up efforts to defuse tensions, bringing together industry leaders and officials for talks on the workers’ demands for eight-hour shifts and a paid weekly off.Senior officials from the collector’s office, labour department and other agencies met leaders of Surat’s embroidery and textile industry on Tuesday, days before the proposed stir. Workers said they will submit a representation to the district collector on the first day of the protest and hold demonstrations in different parts of the city on the second day.The meeting comes amid friction between workers and embroidery unit owners over demands for an eight-hour work shift and a paid weekly holiday. The issue gained urgency after a violent protest in the Anjani industrial area of Amroli. Workers later staged a demonstration outside the collector’s office.Labour department officials later met representatives of the textile industry and instructed them to comply with labour regulations.A meeting of the Textile Embroidery Jobwork Association of Surat (TEJAS) followed, during which the association said the workers’ demands would not be accepted. The position deepened the standoff between workers and unit owners, prompting the administration to convene another round of discussions.During Tuesday’s meeting, collector Tejas Parmar and other govt officials urged embroidery unit owners to engage with workers, examine their concerns and work towards a resolution to prevent unrest. Industry representatives told officials that they were unable to accept the demands, citing operational and business constraints.Labour officials also directed embroidery units to comply with applicable laws and guidelines and ensure that workers receive the benefits to which they are entitled. Officials said adherence to statutory provisions would be monitored, given the potential impact of the dispute on industry.Security agencies increased surveillance ahead of the protest. Police and intelligence bureau personnel are monitoring worker mobilisation and social media activity to assess sentiment and identify potential flashpoints.The developments are also being watched by other segments of Surat’s textile industry amid concerns that the agitation could spread to allied sectors.
