Strike by power loom workers, weavers enters fifth day in Sircilla

Power loom workers and master weavers in Sircilla have continued their strike for higher wages, with the agitation entering its sixth day on Saturday. Workers are seeking Rs 100 per sari, while master weavers want Rs 150, citing rising costs

Rajanna Sircilla: The rhythmic clatter of power looms in Sircilla, a textile hub for weaving saris, has fallen silent with a strike launched by workers and master weavers entering sixth day on Saturday.

Sircilla is home to around 500 power looms, employing nearly 200 workers and 100 master weavers. The workers and master weavers have been requesting their management to increase wages for quite a long time, but their pleas went unanswered. Under the aegis of the Centre of Indian Trade union (CITU), the workers and weavers launched the strike on August 31, demanding higher pay.

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The workers and weavers are gathering at Ambabhavani Function Hall in the town. They are staging protests including rasta-rokos, bike rallies and community dining. They are refraining from duties.

The agitators wanted a wage of Rs 100 per sari as against the existing pay of Rs 82, while masters sought Rs 150 per sari when compared to Rs 132. They said that they deserved a hike considering inflation of essential commodities. They regretted that their wages were not hiked for two years.

The agitating workers recalled that a wage hike agreement signed in May, 2022 had a validity of two years, but no revision has been made since. “It has been more than two years since the agreement. Prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed due to the West Asia conflict. However, the wages remained unchanged for over two years,” Kodam Ramana, a CITU leader opined.

The agitators lamented that they were struggling to meet both ends meet due to the soaring of the prices of essential commodities. They disclosed that they were unable to save a single rupee with the existing wages. They urged the management to understand their plight.

However, the owners reportedly refused to raise the wages citing financial losses. They claimed that they would not be able to make profits if wages were hiked. They revealed that weaving of the garments was hit by the strike. They requested officials to hold consultations with protesters and power loom owners.