Fine quality handloom weavers across Madurai and surrounding localities have secured a 9% wage hike following successful conciliation talks mediated by the Labour Department. The agreement comes as a relief to weavers grappling with soaring living costs and house rents.Weavers in areas such as Kaithari Nagar, Sakkimangalam, Vandiyur, Perungudi, Avaniyapuram, Thirunagar, Pamban Nagar, Kadalsanenthal, Srinivasa Colony, and L.K.T.
Nagar operate one or two handlooms from their homes, producing fine varieties, including veshtis, Kodambakkam-style saris, and silk saris. They receive warp yarn and wages from master weavers.Citing severe inflation and financial strain due to a lack of alternative employment, the Madurai All Trade Unions Joint Committee previously petitioned the District Collector and the Assistant Commissioner of Labour, pressing for a 30% wage increase over existing rates.To resolve the dispute, formal negotiations were held under the chairmanship of the Assistant Commissioner of Labour.
The discussions involved Joint Committee leaders—including President T.R. Padmanabhan (ATP), Secretary A.S.
Ravindran (Janata Dal), Treasurer N.R. Sudarshan (BMS), Joint Secretary T.M.
Jeganathan (LPF), Vice President K.K. Damodaran (AITUC), and Joint Secretary D.S.
Sudarshan (INTUC)—alongside a delegation of master weavers represented by D.R. Sundaragopal, M.R.
Govarthanan, K.R. Eknath, Rammohan, Subramanian, C.G.
Sivanath, K.K. Motilal, R.R.
Kubendharan, and Parameswaran.Following mutual consensus, both parties agreed to implement a 9% wage hike effective from Deepavali on November 8. The agreed-upon wage structure will remain in effect until Deepavali next year in 2027.
Published - November 02, 2026 08:18 pm IST