CMAI writes to Labour Minister; seeks financial assistance to pay wages to workers

New Delhi, Apr 17 (KNN) Ever since the government has asked industries to pay full wages to their employees, it has sparked a distress among the industry members and many of them have written to central government seeking amendments in the order.   

The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), which represents the domestic garment manufacturing industry, and one of the highest employers after Agriculture, has to written to the government seeking support in disbursing salary to their workers. 

In a letter to the Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar, CMAI has said, ''Manufacturers have for years treated their employees as an extended family and would like to ensure the maximum support for them. This is why the Garment Industry with great difficulty managed to pay the March salaries to its employees.''

''However, going forward, in a situation where there is no income for such an extended period, it will be impossible for many of our smaller members to continue paying full salaries and wages, unless we receive some government support,'' the clothing body added.

CMAI has around 12 million employees, with close to 40 per cent being women. More than 90 per cent of garment manufacturers in the country are in the MSME sector, with more than half of these being in the Micro segment.

''COVID-19 has plunged the industry into a crisis of unprecedented proportions, threatening the very survival of many of our smaller manufacturers,'' CMAI added.

CMAI recent survey stated that at least 20 per cent of their members believed that they may consider closing down their business, unless some government assistance is provided.

''On one hand, the revenues of our members have come to a total halt (ZERO REVENUE) for the last 30 days and is likely to remain so in the coming 60 to 90 Days,'' CMAI said.

''As a representative of one of the most important employment generating industries, CMAI urges both, the central government as well as the States, to come up with innovative ways of protecting the interests of the workers without causing irreparable losses to the Industry and possibly leading to massive financial bankruptcies in the MSME Sector,'' the letter read.