India: Strike of 10,000 tailors enters seventh day

Chennai online reported that with talks to find a solution to the demand for increase in stitching charges remaining inconclusive, the strike by job working units for domestic innerwear brands in nearby Tirupur entered the seventh day today.

Around 10,000 'powertable' workers, who are stitching innerwears like baniyans, vests and briefs for domestic brands, are on indefinite strike from February 26, demanding 30 per cent hike in stitching charges.

They claim that input costs, like labour charges, threads, needles, power and rent have gone up and 30 per cent increase would somewhat help the suffering tailors.

As a result of the strike, production of inner garments of some brands was affected partially, sources in Tirupur Baniyan Stitching Section Owners Association, which also observed one-day fast on Friday last, said.

Saying that the charges were not revised for the last four years, the sources said that negotiations held yesterday failed to arrive at any agreement.

Further talks between representatives of the managements and workers would be held tomorrow, they said.

The workers blame some of the north Indian companies, which source garments on job work basis for the impasse, which has affected nearly 600 stitching units with 15,000 to 18,000 tailors, the sources said.