‘Still working 12-hour shifts’: Surat textile workers protest at collector’s office

Surat textile workers staged a protest at the district collector's office on Saturday, demanding eight-hour shifts and weekly off on Sundays. The workers, numbering in the hundreds, had returned after earlier demonstrations in which they claimed they were still working for more than eight hours a day without a break. A tense atmosphere erupted when a worker alleged police were taking photographs and issuing threats.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Operations Group) Rajdeepsinh Nakum stepped in to warn the protesters that an FIR would be registered if they did not comply with his instructions. The collectorate and labor department officials were absent on the second Saturday of the month, forcing the workers to disperse after mediation between their leaders and police officials.

Janmabhumi Bharat Majdoor Union President Ajay Dubey presented a memorandum to the police officials, demanding weekly off and timely wage payments. The workers also urged the implementation of strict labor laws in the textile industry. Dubey stated that they would return next week to deliver the memorandum and hoped to resolve the issues by September 30.

A peaceful dharna was threatened if demands were not met by that date. One protester said, "We work 12-hour shifts. Our bodies need rest too." Factory owner Vishal Goti stated that although workers were paid by the seventh, their demand for a Sunday off and eight-hour shift remained unresolved, citing production and business concerns.

The protest earlier this month expanded to include various factories across Surat, leading to the closure of over 300 units in Amroli. Eight individuals were arrested, and an FIR was filed following violent demonstrations.