TEA GARDEN

One-day strike observed in tea gardens

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 11: A one-day symbolic strike was held at about 300 tea gardens of Darjeeling, Terai and Dooars today. About 3-lakh workers abstained from work during the strike.

 

Secretary of Jalpaiguri district unit of Dooars Cha-Bagan Workers' Union, Mr Nirmal Das said the workers observed the strike demanding a minimum daily wage of Rs 100, benefits like provident fund, gratuity and opening of the closed and abandoned tea gardens. Mr Das, who is also the Alipurduar MLA, said that they might start a continuous strike in the tea gardens from 19 August if the owners fail to meet their demands immediately.

 

Mr Das said seven tripartite meetings were held since July with the labour commissioner in Kolkata but all those failed to bear any fruit. The tea garden workers in north Bengal get wages much lower than in other states like Kerala and Assam. The Tea Board too admitted it but the tea garden owners are still reluctant to increase the rate of wage in this state. It cannot go forever.

 

Mr Das claimed that the price of tea this year is best compared to last twelve years. It is high time for the owners of the tea gardens to consider the legitimate demands of the workers, he argued. []