Surat: The nearly three-month dispute between textile embroidery workers and unit owners over paid weekly offs, working hours and wages remains unresolved despite repeated talks involving the labour department, police and industry representatives.Textile embroidery workers in Surat have been pressing for paid weekly offs and eight-hour shifts with wages equivalent to the prevailing 12-hour shift for nearly three months. The deadlock with unit owners continues.Workers said the demands were raised to address long working hours and irregular rest days in the embroidery jobwork sector. Over the past few weeks, the agitation gathered pace, with worker groups holding meetings and informal work stoppages.The unrest turned violent on Aug 16 during a protest in Anjani industrial estate, a major embroidery hub in Amroli. Police intervened and arrested several workers accused of involvement in the violence.The movement regained momentum through organised protests. On Sep 12, workers staged a dharna outside the collector’s office, urging the administration to ensure implementation of labour code provisions. Another protest scheduled for Oct 2 at the collectorate was called off after a meeting chaired by the district collector and attended by embroidery unit owners, worker representatives and labour department officials.After the meeting, the labour department issued a circular directing members of the Textile Embroidery Jobwork Association of Surat (TEJAS) to implement provisions under the four labour codes and extend related benefits to workers. At a mass meeting on Oct 10, unit owners decided to implement the labour codes while rejecting demands for a paid weekly off and wages equivalent to a 12-hour shift for eight hours of work.Employers said statutory deductions and contributions would be made, including a 12% provident fund deduction from workers’ wages and an additional 13% contribution by employers. Unit owners also claimed workers were unwilling to accept the deduction structure.Labour department officials have held several rounds of discussions with both sides, though no agreement has been reached. Senior police officers also met worker leaders to resolve the dispute, but the talks failed to produce a breakthrough.
