Powerloom workers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur strike

Powerloom workers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts started an indefinite strike on March 19. They are demanding a permanent resolution to ongoing wage issues. The Coimbatore and Tiruppur District Powerloom Owners Association held an urgent meeting to discuss the situation. They emphasized that the wage agreement signed in 2022 should be honored without any further reductions. Sivakumar, a representative for the association, told reporters that they seek a new legally protected wage agreement. They also want the government to withdraw the annual 6% increase in power tariffs. The strike involves around 1.25 lakh workers operating 2.5 lakh powerlooms. Workers reported that rising power costs and spare part prices have hurt their businesses. They have been fighting for better wages for over 15 months, and previous negotiations yielded little progress. The wage policy has been in place since 1991, allowing for a wage hike once every three years. However, the last increase in 2021 was reduced in 2022, leading to dissatisfaction among workers. About 1.5 lakh workers from 10,000 powerloom units are participating in the strike across various locations in both districts. This action could affect around 400,000 workers overall. The workers are urging the state government to prioritize resolving their demands.