Surat: The truce in the embroidery sector has begun to fray, with fresh calls for worker mobilisation coming within a day of a protest being withdrawn.The immediate trigger for the earlier de-escalation was a labour department circular directing embroidery unit owner to comply with labour codes. After the directive, workers called off their protest scheduled for Oct 1.The respite proved short-lived. On Friday, labour union representative Ajay Dubey urged workers to launch a “Gaon Chalo Andolan”, saying many workers had told him that employers were unwilling to implement the department’s instructions or address labour-related concerns.In a video message that spread rapidly on social media, Dubey outlined options for workers. With Diwali and the Chhathi Mayia festival approaching, he said workers should consider returning to their villages for at least two months.He told workers to submit individual complaints to labour authorities, providing details of employers who were not complying with the department’s directives.Dubey further encouraged workers across different shifts to act collectively, meet management and seek clarity on implementation of the circular. If employers refused to comply, he urged them to file formal complaints.He said workers should continue working in units that implement labour codes and consider moving to workplaces willing to comply with the regulations.“If these options do not work, workers should consider leaving the embroidery industry for other employment,” Dubey said in the video message, arguing that employers would better understand workers’ concerns if labour shortages emerged.He also called on workers to stop machines on Sundays and protest if paid weekly offs were denied.While Dubey’s message has found support among sections of workers, it has also drawn criticism. Some workers alleged that frequent and differing calls for action have created confusion about the future course of the agitation.
