Mill workers seek reopening of units

Coimbatore: A group of textile mill workers staged a protest in the city on Wednesday demanding reopening of the units and payment of pending wages.
The protesters affiliated to CITU said though several industries in urban as well as rural areas have been opened, there was no announcement yet on reopening of textile mills. There were five mills under National Textile Corporation, a central government entity, in Coimbatore, they said. These mills employ more than 1,000 workers, both permanent and contract.
While contract workers have been rendered without livelihood for the past 50 days due to the lockdown, the permanent workers too have their cup of woes brimming. They alleged that salary has not been paid for the month of April.
NTC authorities pacified the protesters and held talks. The management representatives have assured that the pending salary would be settled immediately. As for the reopening of mills, the demand of the workers would be conveyed to the centre, they said. tnn