Labour Rights Day :Tarigami Recalls Zaldagar, Silk Factory Workers’ Struggles

Younus Rashid
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02 May 2026

Says Kashmir has its own legacy of workers’ struggles

Srinagar, May 1: CPIM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Labour Day highlighted Kashmir’s long history of workers’ struggles, recalling how shawl weavers in Zaldagar raised their voice for fixed working hours and against oppression well before similar movements gained global attention.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar after addressing CITU gathering, Tarigami said during that time, rations were stopped, people suffered from hunger, many lost their lives, and several were imprisoned, adding that the role of Zaldagar workers remains a proud part of the global labour movement.

Tarigami said silk factory workers in 1924 went on strike for many days and weeks, demanding better wages and improved living conditions. He said workers faced repression and imprisonment but continued their protest until the government had to concede.

“The history of Chicago and Kashmir reflects that the voice of workers has always remained strong, whether it is factory workers, farm labourers, employees in institutions, technocrats, or media workers, including reporters,” Tarigami said.

The CPIM leader said that many people were killed and several were hanged in Chicago only because they demanded fixed working hours, yet they continued their struggle until the American administration had to bow, resulting in the establishment of the eight-hour workday, now followed worldwide.

He said the day is being observed globally across regions, including in Kashmir, which has its own history of workers’ struggles.

He further said that across India, trade unions have come together on a common platform, asserting that it has become necessary to unite and fight for workers’ rights, particularly after the introduction of new labour codes.

Tarigami said labour laws achieved through long struggles have been turned into labour codes, putting key rights such as the eight-hour workday, the right to form unions, and collective bargaining at risk. He added that rights related to organisation, union formation, and basic welfare facilities have been weakened.

Describing the present situation as a difficult phase for workers, Tarigami said the concerns apply to all sections, including daily wage labourers and those working across sectors.