Bengaluru: Garment workers demand an end to wage discrimination

Demanding to end wage discrimination of garment workers, the Garment and Textile Workers Union (GATWU) has asked the State government to provide dignified working conditions and repeal the new labour codes, during a convention of garment workers in the city on Sunday. 

Prathibha, president, GATWU, pointed out that while workers in other scheduled industries receive a minimum wage of around ₹18,000 per month, garment workers are still stuck at ₹12,800. “The recent minimum wage notification issued in April 2025 shockingly excluded industries like garments where women are concentrated, proposing minimum wages of ₹25,000 for other industries,” she said. She questioned how such discrimination could be made and demanded an end to it.

Nirmala, State vice-president of AICCTU, declared the convention a warning to the government. “If the discrimination against garment workers continues—if they are left out of wage revisions and forced into unsafe, exploitative working conditions—garment workers will take to the streets and take their rights”.