Ranchi Garment Workers Protest Salary Delays

Ranchi, Apr 21 (PTI) More than a thousand workers, mostly women, of a garment export company held a demonstration outside the factory gate in Ranchi on Tuesday over delays in salary payments.

The demonstration disrupted traffic on the Khelgaon-Tatisilway Road for around four hours, officials said.

Jyoti Devi, one of the workers, alleged that she had not received her salaries for February and March.

"In April, I got only Rs 1,500 in two instalments, while our salary is fixed in the company. When we approached the management regarding the payment, they gave only assurances and are actually doing nothing," she said.

Another worker, Komal Kumari from Bihar's Samastipur district, said she had been working without a salary for two months and was struggling to manage household expenses.

Soni Devi, an operator in the production department since 2018, said delays in payments over the last three months had caused severe hardship.


"Our household expenses are going up, and payment of tuition fees for the children is getting delayed," she said.

Ravi Bhushan, general manager of the company's HR department, acknowledged that wages for the last two months were pending and said the management was trying to clear the dues at the earliest.

"I have informed the higher authorities, and they will come here on Wednesday to hold a meeting with the workers. The company is facing financial pressure due to the global crisis. Export of garments has been drastically hampered due to tariffs imposed by the US," he said.

Bhushan said around 2,400 women workers are employed at the plant.

Khelgaon police station officer-in-charge Abhishek Rai said the workers lifted the blockade after assurances from the management regarding payment of pending salaries.

This demonstration comes days after workers' unrest hit the industrial region of Noida in UP.