Tripartite talks fail, Joint Forum calls for 3-day bandh of all tea estates in Terai, Dooars
Darjeeling: With the tripartite talks failing in Uttar Kanya, the Joint Forum of Tea Trade Unions have called for a three-day bandh of all tea estates in Terai and Dooars in the plains and stopping of tea dispatch in all the tea gardens of the Hills. They also started a sit-in demonstration inside the Uttar Kanya compound in the Jalpaiguri
district, which was lifted after assurance from the assistant labour commissioner that the meeting would continue on Tuesday.
Incidentally, the tea trade unions have been demanding the implementation of minimum wages in the tea gardens. A minimum wage advisory committee was also constituted by the government in 2015. Several meetings have been held since then to resolve the issue.
Tripartite talks between the state government, management and tea trade unions was held in Uttar Kanya, the mini secretariat in Jalpaiguri on Monday.
"From the government's side, we proposed a minimum wage amount of Rs 172. As per the demand of the trade unions, we had reviewed and increased the food basket and clothing component as the earlier rates were of 2014. There has been a 56% increase of these components, resulting in the increase from Rs 158 to Rs 172," stated Jawaid Akhtar, labour commissioner, who is the member secretary of the minimum wage advisory committee.
The labour commissioner stated that a group of trade unions have put forward fresh proposals like decreasing the amount of rice grains being given and instead add the cost of fruits in the food basket.
"They have proposed a new rate. We have to review this rate, discuss it with the government and then continue talks. Another round of talks will be held on August 20 in Kolkata, where other components like medical and housing will be discussed. Some trade unions were satisfied with this and have confirmed their participation for the August 20 talks," added the labour commissioner.
He, however, did not want to disclose the rate put forward by the Union. The Joint Forum has proposed an amount of Rs 239. The Joint Forum had sat on a dharna immediately after the meeting ended at around 3:40 pm, demanding that the meeting continues.
"All tea gardens in the plains will be closed for the next three days. Tea dispatch will be stopped in the Hills. The dharna in Uttar Kanya will continue and tea garden workers from the Hills and the plains in masses will march to Uttar Kanya to join the dharna from Tuesday," stated Zia Ur Alam, convenor of the Joint Forum, a conglomeration of 26 tea trade unions.
