Alipurduar: The Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU) has announced a rally and protest at the regional Provident Fund (PF) office in Jalpaiguri on January 15, demanding a resolution to the long-standing issue of unpaid PF dues. Preparations for this movement are already underway across tea gardens in North Bengal, with line meetings being held in the evenings to mobilise workers.
The union is addressing widespread PF-related grievances, including unpaid contributions by tea garden owners, discrepancies in workers’ names, and the lack of dedicated camps to rectify errors in PF and Aadhaar details. These issues are especially prevalent among tribal workers, for whom incorrect documentation remains a persistent challenge.
Robin Rai, Secretary of the TCBSU, expressed his concerns over the “lack of accountability and ongoing irregularities”, stating that brokers remain active in handling PF matters while the promised camps in gardens are yet to materialise. He emphasised that even when PF money is deducted from workers’ wages, they do not receive it.
Detailing the union’s strategy, Nakul Sonar, Chairman of the TCBSU central committee, stated: “Each garden unit has been assigned responsibilities. Line meetings are being held in workers’ residential quarters’ lines, with 8–10 meetings planned for each garden. Central committee leaders are attending these sessions to document workers’ grievances. This initiative will continue until January 14. On January 15, we will protest at the Jalpaiguri PF office. If no swift action is taken, a larger movement will follow.”
The TCBSU’s efforts are part of a broader campaign initiated in 2022 when Abhishek Banerjee warned the Jalpaiguri PF office, which operates under Central government jurisdiction, to address these issues. Following his warning, tea garden workers marched nearly 200 km across Darjeeling Plains, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar districts, culminating in the encirclement of the PF office.
Despite multiple protests over the past two years, including marches and campaigns at the Jalpaiguri PF office, the core issues remain unresolved. More than 300 tea gardens in North Bengal are reportedly affected by PF-related problems, leaving thousands of workers in distress.