Date:05/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/07/05/stories/2005070503421700.htm

Back Bengal tea garden workers demand wage revision, threaten stir from July 11

Our Bureau

Kolkata , July 4

THE Defence Committee of Plantation Workers Rights and the Co-ordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers in West Bengal, who together represent 30 trade unions in the tea industry, have threatened to go on an indefinite strike from July 11, if their demand for revision of wages of tea garden workers is not met with immediately.

The proposed indefinite strike will affect around 300 tea gardens in the Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai regions. It will also impact three lakh workers who are engaged, directly or indirectly, with the tea industry.

Representatives of the Defence Committee of Plantation Workers Rights and the Co-ordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers in West Bengal on Monday met the West Bengal Labour Minister, Mr Mohammed Amin, government officials, representatives of Tea Association of India, Indian Tea Association and the Consultative Committee of Planters Associations, among others, to discuss the issue of wage revision.Representatives of the tea garden workers claimed that wages had not been revised since 1999 and the offer of tea garden owners of productivity-linked wages at the existing rate was not acceptable.

Mr Amin later said that efforts were on to "narrow down" differences and discussions in this regard would resume on Tuesday.