Guest workers should stay, say industrialists

Coimbatore: Industrialists are confident that guest workers would stay back as industrial activities have resumed in several parts of Coimbatore and Tirupur.
“Until recently, neither industrialists nor workers were sure when the industries would be allowed to operate. The workers wanted to go back to their states as they were idle. But the resumption of industrial activities has given a ray of hope to guest workers,” said Raja M Shanmugam, president of Tirupur Exporters’ Association (TEA).
Close to 1,000 exporting units have reopened. Even guest workers who wanted to go back to their states until last evening presented for work from Wednesday morning, he said.
The exporters association has made extra efforts in coaxing the workers to stay back in the district.
“If the workers leave at a time when industries have resumed operations, it would be a big blow to us and it would take at least a year to recover from it. For the workers, if they chose to stay back they would be on top of the priority list, if not, they will have to wait for their chance as others would have replaced them,” he explained.
On the first day, most units functioned with 20-25% of workforce and we are confident that the percentage would increase in the upcoming days, he added.
K Selvaraj of the South India Mills Association (SIMA) said, “at present, only mills in rural areas have resumed functioning and those mills have employed local workers in larger number than the migrant workers. The actual condition would be known only after the mills in other areas are allowed to operate.”
“Instead of depending on the migrant workers, we have to look for an alternative option. It is high time we started employing local workers. Even if we start training them now, they could be turned into skilled labours within a few months,” said R Ramamurthy, president of Codissia. He said they had submitted a proposal to the state government.