Coimbatore : As part of the process to draft a policy for the safety of women at workplaces, Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women today held a consultation meeting with women workers from textile industries here.

The Commission, led by a retired IAS officer, Kannagi Packianathan has begun the exercise of drafting the policy with regard to safety, security and dignity of women and girls including those working in spinning mills, from October last year.

Kannagi, who chaired the stakeholders’ meeting said that the policy would safeguard women’s rights and ensure fair wages, and to protect women from harassment of any form at workplaces. 

Mainly, the policy will cover minimum wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational health and safety, she said.
 
Problems being faced by women workers like harassment, non-payment of benefits, ESI, PF and compensation, were raised in the meeting.

The representatives from  textile industries and NGOs who participated in the meeting put forward their suggestions, which include women not coming forward to discuss their problems out of fear.

Some suggested that there was discrepancy in work hours, wages and overtime.

The issue of recruiting workers, particularly from other States also came up for discussion.