The dispute between embroidery workers and unit owners in Surat escalated on Wednesday, 15 October 2026. Police detained about 60 to 70 workers roughly 100 metres from the district Collector's office, where they had gathered for what organisers called a peaceful satyagraha. Surat City Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Parmar said permission had not been granted for the protest and that the conditions set by police had not been met. Several worker leaders were also detained.
The call for the protest came from Naishadh Desai, president of Gujarat Pradesh INTUC, who had asked around 10,000 workers to join. Workers are demanding a guaranteed weekly day off, preferably Sunday, and payment of wages between the 1st and 7th of each month. Desai said that neither the Chamber of Commerce, the Factory Inspector nor the Labour Commissioner had held talks with workers.
The owners' offer
The Textile Embroidery Job Work Association of Surat (TEJAS), which reportedly represents about 40,000 embroidery unit owners, has put forward two pay options:
- 8-hour shift: ₹14,300 a month, with a weekly holiday.
- 12-hour shift: ₹35,000 a month, plus help with children's higher education.
Workers say they currently earn ₹25,000–30,000 a month, usually on 12-hour shifts, so the 8-hour option would mean a large pay cut. Unions have rejected both options, and also object to proposed rules such as a ban on mobile phones inside units and a penalty for damaged goods. Malkhan Singh Verma of the Sarvajanik Mazdoor Ekta Union says skilled embroidery workers should earn ₹1,000–1,200 a day, and that some would accept 12-hour shifts if a weekly off were guaranteed.
How the dispute has grown
The agitation began on 16 August in Amroli and has spread to Katargam, Sachin GIDC and Kadodara. On 29 September, the Deputy Labour Commissioner directed TEJAS and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce to comply with labour laws. Labour leader Ajay Dubey, who helped start the "Gaon Chalo" campaign, has been arrested; police say the case concerns alleged abuse of a factory owner and is unrelated to the protest, while activists allege it was meant to weaken the movement.
Union leaders allege that hundreds of workers have been dismissed for asking for leave. These claims have not been independently verified. For background, read our earlier report on the weekly-off dispute.