Thu Oct 23 14:35:03 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article:

Summary:

Approximately 2,000 workers from seven National Textile Corporation (NTC) mills in Tamil Nadu have not been paid their full salaries for the past eight months. These mills, predominantly located in Coimbatore, have remained closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. While workers initially received full pay and then partial pay for a period, they have now gone without pay for an extended period. Labor union leaders are protesting, appealing to officials, taking legal action, and offering suggestions to reopen the mills. The workers are frustrated, many having sought new employment, and officials claim a lack of funds. Although the Regional Labour Commissioner referred the dispute to the industrial tribunal, the problem persists.

News Article:

Tamil Nadu Textile Workers Face Dire Straits: Eight Months Without Pay

COIMBATORE, October 23, 2025 – Around 2,000 workers employed by seven National Textile Corporation (NTC) mills in Tamil Nadu are facing severe financial hardship after going without their monthly salaries for eight consecutive months. The mills, primarily located in Coimbatore and the southern districts of the state, have been shuttered since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

While workers continued to receive full and then partial salaries following union negotiations in 2020-2023, payments ceased entirely eight months ago, leaving many families struggling to survive.

“The situation is desperate,” said M. Arumugam, former Valparai MLA and AITUC leader. “These workers have been without consistent work for five years, and now they face the added burden of no income. Many have been forced to seek alternative employment, but the frustration is palpable.”

Labor unions have taken multiple steps to address the crisis, including protests, appeals to government officials, and legal challenges. A case was even filed in the Madras High Court two years ago, seeking the reopening of the mills.

T.S. Rajamani, a leader from the HMS union, added that workers received a meager Deepavali bonus, equivalent to only 12.5% of their last earned wages. This contrasts starkly with reports that some workers in Maharashtra received three years’ worth of bonus payments after submitting claims.

Officials claim a lack of funding is the primary obstacle. Unions have presented proposals for reopening the mills, but progress remains stalled. The Regional Labour Commissioner has referred the wage dispute to the industrial tribunal, but a resolution is not yet in sight.

The future remains uncertain for these textile workers and their families as they continue to grapple with financial insecurity and await a resolution to this protracted labor dispute.

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