Unions to skip tea pay talks

TT, Siliguri, May 28: Prominent trade unions of north Bengal have condemned the state labour department's decision to hold a meeting on June 2 to discuss revision of tea garden workers' wages and have decided to boycott the session

The Joint Forum, an apex body of 24 tea unions, has also alleged that the move was taken on the basis of a memorandum submitted by the Trinamul-backed trade body.

"The department has called the meeting because only the Trinamul-backed union has raised the demand of wage revision. All other unions want the state to fix minimum wage for workers. On May 9, a meeting on the same subject was held and we did not attend it. This time also, we will stay away," Ziaur Alam, the convener of the Forum, said.

The Forum said demonstrations and meetings would be held on all tea estates in the next two days, starting from tomorrow as no decision on fixing the minimum wage had been taken yet. An industry-wise strike on June 12 and 13 will also be held.