Surat: Hundreds of workers from embroidery and textile units staged a protest in Amroli on Sunday, demanding a weekly day off, festival holidays and bonuses. The workers alleged that they were being forced to work 12-hour shifts without a weekly off.As news of the protest spread to other industrial areas across Surat, a large police contingent was deployed. Police commissioner Wabang Jamir rushed to the spot in Amroli, while personnel from the PCB, DCB, SOG and several police stations were also sent to the area.The protest began around 9am, when workers were changing shifts. Messages circulated on social media, prompting them to gather at various intersections and crossroads in Amroli. Workers from Sai, Anjani, Vedant, ABC, Pramukh and several other units subsequently took to the streets and demanded a weekly day off.“We are not machines but human beings. We are forced to work 12-hour shifts without a weekly off. We also spend two to three hours commuting, leaving us with hardly any time for rest or sleep. We should be given a weekly day off and wages for that day should also be paid,” a worker said.Police said there was no major stone-pelting during the protest, although one or two stones were thrown, leaving a police constable with minor injuries. A rioting case is likely to be registered against unidentified persons, police added.DCP Zone-5 L A Zala told TOI, “The workers, mostly employed in embroidery units in and around Amroli, gathered at an intersection and raised slogans demanding at least one weekly off. We dispersed them after they got unruly. Production in the units has returned to normal. We have informed the labour department and unit owners about their demands and they have agreed to discuss the issues in the coming days.”Thousands of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states are employed in embroidery units in Surat, many of which are owned by businessmen from Saurashtra. Workers typically earn between Rs30,000 and Rs40,000 a month, depending on the nature of their work.According to a unit owner, workers continue to receive their salaries even during periods when there is little or no work.
