Unity call to tea unions

TT, Darjeeling, May 1: Citu today alleged that tea gardens across north Bengal had defaulted on payment of provident fund to the tune of Rs 33 crore and called upon other garden unions across north Bengal to join hands for a stronger trade union movement.

The CPM-backed trade union today held a public meeting at Chowk Bazar in Darjeeling to celebrate May Day. The Left union was organising a May Day public meeting in Darjeeling after a gap of four years.

Tara Sundas, a district committee member of Citu, said: "We have come to know that tea gardens in north Bengal have defaulted on provident fund payments to the tune of Rs 33.79 crore. Of this, Rs 17.14 crore has already been deducted from the workers' salary but has not been deposited at the PF office."

Sundas listed a series of grievances. "When the world is debating about moving from 8 hours of work to six hours of work everyday, our garden workers are being told to work for nine hours. On every other issues of the garden, the management is coming together and the rights of the workers are being infringed upon. This is only because there is no strong trade union movement in the region," said Sundas.

Calling upon the unions to come together, Sundas said: "Citu is ready to support and even lead any movement for the workers' rights. On May 8, 1955, the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League and the CPM had come together in Darjeeling to demand an increase in the garden wage, which was one rupees eight annas at that time. On June 25, 1955, eight people had also died during a police firing during this particular movement. We need to fight for our rights in a democratic manner," said Sundas.

Saman Pathak, a former Rajya Sabha MP from Darjeeling, said: "Twenty-four tea trade unions have come together (to demand minimum wages for tea garden workers) and this is an encouraging sign. Earlier, the tea unions used to shout down each other but they are slowly putting up a united fight for the rights of the workers. We need to strengthen this unity while fighting on various issues."