Surat-based Nita Exports terminated over 25 diamond polishers following their demands for higher salaries on April 1. The company, which employs over 500 polishers, cited financial constraints as the reason for denying the wage increase. The dispute escalated when the affected workers were barred from entering the premises, leading them to protest.
Factory owner Haresh Somani remarked, “Our factory is quite old… Over 500 diamond polishers work here. There was a dispute with some of them who were demanding a hike in salary. When we refused, they staged a dharna outside the factory. In the current situation, we cannot afford to increase their salary.”
On Tuesday, the sacked employees asked the Diamond Worker Union Gujarat. The union’s Surat president, Jagdish Tank, expressed: “We have found that labour laws were not followed by Nita Exports… we have filed a complaint with the Surat labour department around 15 days ago in this regard. We suspect the company is struggling for survival.”
Surat Diamond Association president Jagdish Khunt remarked, “Neither the factory owner nor the diamond polishers have approached us. Nita Exports is an old factory and has a good reputation in the industry.”
