Diamond Workers in Surat Protest Salary Cuts & Demand Relief

One worker who lamented his decline said that over the years, his income fell to nothing as he became broke with an indefinite payment status. Signs of the deaths of others who died by suicide during this period add form to the current agitation.

Fair Pay and Benefits:

All these workers were diamond cutters and polishers and marched five kilometers from Katargam to Kapodara Hira Baug highlighting their struggle. The drop in annual salary was around 50 percent during the last couple of years, making it impossible for these workers to be able to survive. This has led to many of them being unable to meet even the basic needs and thus resulting in unfortunate incidents of suicides under financial stress.

Crisis in Industry

While the word has yet to penetrate far beyond its base in the place that grinds 90 percent of the world’s rough diamonds-others know such pain. Nearly one million employees, out of 2,500 units, work almost anywhere in the United States. These days salaries haven’t been increased for nearly two years.

Bhavesh Tank, Vice President of the Diamond Workers Union Gujarat (DWUG), underlined the urgency. “Those people are starving, and the statistics show many have even died by suicide. It’s time for the government now.”

Demands for a Better Future

Just a couple of weeks ago, DWUG made a formal demand to the Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to the government:
Increase wages according to the increase in inflation
Constitute a welfare board for diamond workers
Abolish the professional tax on workers
Provide financial assistance to the families of deceased workers
Ensure fixed working hours and abide by labor laws like fractional pay, provident fund, and bonuses

Tank criticized the one-sided growth of the industry as one where manufacturers and traders benefited while workers suffered. “Despite being the backbone of the diamond industry, we are denied basic labor rights,” he added.

Manufacturers Also Ask for Help from the Government

SDA President Jagdish Khunt said: Well, the crisis is there, but so-called manufacturers too are in trouble. “It’s affecting everyone-from the smallest worker to the biggest trader. We need some government support to live through this.”

Emerging Movement

About 200,000 workers have now stopped work and pledged not to return to it until their demands are satisfied, with frustration mounting. An additional facility launched last year by DWUG is called a helpline and listed the problems on call from distressed workers facing difficulties in paying school fees, paying rent, and clearing loans.

Now, workers continue their protest because the industry is almost breaking point and as expected things will turn around due to the quick government intervention sought for their rights.