Karnataka: GATWU president, over 50 garment workers detained during protest against new PF withdrawal rules

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 1 (ANI): More than 50 garment workers were arrested in Bengaluru's Peenya on Wednesday while protesting against new rules restricting access to their Provident Fund (PF) and Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) savings, according to a press release issued by the Garment and Textile Workers’ Union (GATWU). 
Prathibha R, president of the GATWU and the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), were also detained during the protest.
The garment workers were protesting against the new provisions that introduce waiting periods for accessing their PF and EPS savings. The union alleged that the rules were “anti-worker” and said police action was restricting workers from raising questions about the provisions. It claimed that police had threatened to file FIRs against the detained workers.
The union has demanded the immediate release of all detained workers and urged the Bengaluru Police not to prosecute them for raising concerns over the new PF provisions. It also called on the Karnataka government to intervene with the Union government and demand the withdrawal of the restrictions imposed on workers’ access to their PF and EPS savings.
According to GATWU, the union submitted a memorandum to the Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner on Monday (September 28), seeking the immediate withdrawal of the 12-month and 36-month waiting periods introduced under the new PF scheme dated June 29, 2026.
Under the new provisions, workers who leave employment have to wait 12 months to access the remaining 25 per cent of their PF savings, while workers with less than 10 years of service have to wait 36 months to withdraw their EPS accumulation, the union said.
The union said the restrictions would particularly affect low-wage workers and garment workers in Karnataka, 85-90 per cent of whom are women. It said many workers are primary breadwinners of their families and face job insecurity, while also shouldering paid and unpaid work.
"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 union said.
GATWU also said garment women workers had launched a signature campaign against the changes and that around 5,000 workers' signatures were submitted along with the memorandum. (ANI)