TMC tea workers’ union to hold series of gate meetings at 287 gardens

The TMC Tea Workers’ Union is set to organise a series of gate meetings lasting three days in 287 tea gardens across North Bengal to address the ongoing wage dispute. The state government recently raised the wages of tea garden workers to Rs 18.

However, several tea estate owners filed a petition against this increment in the High Court. Consequently, the court issued a stay order on the interim wage hike, leading to a strong response from the Trinamool Congress (TMC).The central leadership of Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union has decided to conduct these gate meetings from Thursday to Saturday in every tea garden in Terai-Dooars. Each morning, the meetings will last for one hour, as stated by Birendra Bara Oraon, the president of the organisation’s central committee.

Birendra said: “Our protest is not against the honorable High Court’s order. It is directed towards the garden management that opposes the welfare of the workers. Our government has devised various plans for the betterment of tea garden workers, but the management has shown resistance. This is why we are protesting against them.”

Prakash Chick Baraik, the TMC district president of Alipurduar, stated: “Apart from the wage issue, we will also address 15 other demands during these gate meetings.”