Bengaluru: GATWU President, 50+ Garment Workers Detained
Over 50 garment workers and GATWU president Prathibha R detained in Bengaluru during protests against new PF and EPS withdrawal restrictions.
A major confrontation unfolded in Bengaluru's Peenya industrial area on Wednesday as police detained the President of the Garment and Textile Workers’ Union (GATWU), Prathibha R, along with more than 50 garment workers. The mass detention occurred during a heated protest against recent changes to Provident Fund (PF) and Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) withdrawal rules.
The Core of the Dispute: New PF Restrictions
The workers are rallying against new provisions that introduce significant waiting periods before employees can access their hard-earned savings. According to the GATWU, these rules—part of a scheme dated June 29, 2026—create massive hurdles for those leaving their jobs.
The union highlighted two specific, problematic mandates:
- PF Savings: Workers who leave their employment must now wait 12 months to access the remaining 25 per cent of their PF savings.
- EPS Accumulation: For workers with less than 10 years of service, a 36-month waiting period has been imposed to withdraw their EPS accumulation.
Impact on Women and Low-Wage Earners
The union expressed deep concern regarding the demographic most affected by these "anti-worker" policies. In Karnataka's garment sector, approximately 85-90 per cent of the workforce consists of women. These workers often serve as the primary breadwinners for their families while navigating significant job insecurity.
"For many garment women workers, PF savings are the only financial safety net and are relied upon during medical emergencies, for children's education, rent, marriage and other urgent family needs," the GATWU stated in a press release.
Escalating Tensions and Demands
The protest follows a formal memorandum submitted by the union to the Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner on September 28. That memorandum sought the immediate withdrawal of the 12-month and 36-month waiting periods. To demonstrate the scale of opposition, the union had already collected nearly 5,000 signatures from workers through a signature campaign.
Following the detentions, the GATWU has made several urgent demands:
- The immediate release of all detained workers.
- A plea to the Bengaluru Police to refrain from filing FIRs or prosecuting workers for exercising their right to protest.
- An appeal to the Karnataka government to intervene with the Union government to roll back the restrictive PF and EPS provisions.
The union alleges that the police action is a direct attempt to stifle workers from questioning these new financial restrictions that threaten their economic stability.