Tea gardens talks for bonus cancelled

Alipurduar: The state Labour department’s directive fixing a 20 per cent bonus for tea garden workers has rendered this year’s bonus talks redundant, leading to the cancellation of meetings scheduled between owners and trade unions.

The Consultative Committee of Planters’ Association (CCPA), the apex body of tea producers, on Sunday informed 36 recognised unions that the meetings — earmarked for August 25 in Darjeeling and August 28 for Terai and Dooars — stand cancelled, since the issue has already been settled by the state. The government’s intervention brought immediate cheer among workers.

Ram Avatar Sharma, Secretary of the Indian Tea Association Dooars branch, said: “Owners can only pay wages and dues if tea sales bring

in money. But for two years, the industry has been in a terrible state. Even workers now realise this. We are worried about what this winter will bring.”

Prabir Bhattacharjee, Secretary General of the Tea Association of India, said: “The government’s directive could strain financially weak plantations. If problems arise, we hope the Labour department will take proactive steps.”