State steps in to resolve bonus crisis in tea industry

darjeeling: With the stalemate continuing between the management and the trade unions over the bonus issue of the Darjeeling tea industry, the state government intervened in a bid to break the ice. In the tripartite talks held at the Shramik Bhawan, Siliguri chaired by Md. Rizwan, additional Labour commissioner, North Bengal on Tuesday, the government proposed that 20 per cent bonus to be paid in two installments – 15 per cent within October 4 and remaining 5 per cent within October 30. Appropriate action will be taken against the management in case of violation.

The government further proposed that the prevailing practice of splitting the bonus shall be stopped from next year and will be paid in one go. Bonus calculation will be on a salary sealing of Rs 15500, in case the salary exceeds this.Though the management has agreed to this, the trade unions staged a walk out and did not sign the agreement. "The trade unions will hold a joint meeting on Wednesday and decide on our future course of action," stated Suraj Subba of the Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union. For past three years workers of the Darjeeling tea industry have been paid a bonus at 20 per cent in two installments. This year all the trade unions had demanded a minimum of 20 per cent bonus without categorization and in a single payment mode.