Two days ahead of a planned protest by textile embroidery workers, the Deputy Labour Commissioner’s office in Surat has directed embroidery unit owners to implement the four labour codes that replaced 29 earlier labour laws.
The office instructed the Textile Embroidery Jobwork Association of Surat (TEJAS) and its member units to comply with the Code on Wages, 2019; Code on Social Security, 2020; Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020; and Industrial Relations Code, 2020, according to a circular issued.
TEJAS has been asked to communicate the provisions of the four codes to embroidery units and ensure their implementation.
The directive comes ahead of a protest planned by embroidery workers on Thursday. The workers have been demanding an eight-hour work shift and a paid weekly holiday.
Labour officials said the codes provide for a paid weekly holiday. However, implementation of the provision and the demand for an eight-hour work shift remain uncertain. According to sources, TEJAS office-bearers have not accepted the workers’ demands.
