20% bonus for tea gardens in Hills to be paid in 2 instalments

Darjeeling: Bonus for accounting year 2019-20 for Hill tea gardens was resolved on Sunday. Bonus will be paid at 20 per cent in two instalments.

Two rounds of meeting between the Management and tea trade unions had taken place on Saturday and Sunday. "Bonus is payable at 20%. First instalment of 15 per cent will be paid by October 10 and the remaining 5 per cent will be paid before Diwali. The staff ceiling has also been raised to Rs. 14,500," stated Sandip Mukherjee, Principal Advisor, Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA) representing the Management.

There are 87 tea gardens in the Hills of North Bengal producing premium Darjeeling tea. However, 6 gardens out of the 87 are closed.

"We agreed to both the 20 per cent bonus and the ceiling for the staff and sub staff that has been raised to Rs. 14,500. However, we vehemently object to the instalment system. We have to stop this precedent. Last year we had a bitter experience. Many gardens have not received last year's (2018-19) second instalment of the bonus yet. Longview tea garden closed down because of this. Rohini tea estate received last year's second instalment on September 19, 2020," stated NB Khawas, Spokesperson, TMC, Darjeeling district committee.

The Joint Forum of Tea Trade Unions has also objected to the instalment system. In a letter to the Chairman, DTA they have written "We vehemently protest against the payment of bonus on an instalment basis. When the whole world was under lockdown, the workers of the tea gardens worked risking their lives. Instead of rewarding the workers, the owners have again imposed their conditions on the payment of bonus."

The DTDPLU, affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Binay faction) stated that with the festive season fast approaching the issue needed to be resolved fast.

"For how long could we remain rigid and have meeting after meeting? We did not agree to their initial 18.5 per cent bonus proposal and the categorization of gardens. It was raised to 20 per cent. The workers need money before the two festivals, Dasain (Dusserah) and Diwali and that has been taken care of," stated JB Tamang of the DTDPLU.

In 2019 after long-drawn agitation, a bonus percentage of 20 per cent was agreed

upon to be paid in two instalments.