Hyderabad, April 18 -- A wave of labour unrest has swept through the industrial belts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, with thousands of workers, many of them migrants, walking off factory floors to demand a minimum wage of Rs 20,000 a month, as soaring living costs - driven in part by the Iran war - push the costs to a breaking point.

The protests, which began in early April at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's plant in Manesar's Industrial Model Township in Haryana, quickly spread to Noida, Faridabad and Sonipat, drawing workers from garment units, auto ancillary firms and export-oriented factories. According to a ground report by The Hindu, over 350 people, including women, have been arrested, while key trade union leaders have b...