Tamil Nadu

Knitters drop indefinite strike plan ‘for now’

Tirupur: The knit cloth manufacturers and machine knitters affiliated to Knit Cloth Manufacturers Association (KNITMA) and South India Imported Machine Knitters Association (SIIMKA), respectively, have decided to ‘temporarily suspend’ their decision to commence an indefinite strike from September 16.

The members of the associations planned to down the shutters of their units to press the demand for implementation of job rates according to the conditions agreed with the textile exporters from this region, in letter and spirit.

The decision to defer the agitation was taken at an emergency meeting jointly convened by the associations here on Monday night.

Disclosing the proceedings of the meeting, Ahil Rathinasamy, president of KNITMA, told reporters that the associations did not want to hinder the knitwear production at this juncture when the export possibilities were looking good with rupee getting depreciated against the dollar in the last few months.

“Owing to the depreciation, the goods from here are becoming more competitive and the export earnings are fetching the producers from this belt more rupees,” he pointed out.

Another reason for deferment of strike decision was to help the cloth manufacturers to keep their commitments to the orders placed with them in advance for the oncoming Deepavali season.

Mr. Rathinasamy said that the associations would continue to fight for its members to obtain good wages for the knitting charges from the textile exporters.

He said that the meeting had also resolved to continue the closure of member units on Sundays, to help ease the general power crisis.

P. Natarajan, president, SIIMKA, spoke.

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