DTDPLU blames Govt, TG owners for tripartite meeting failure

Deep Milan Pradhan, EOI, Mirik, 17 July 2014: The GJM-supported TG workers union DTDPLU has denounced the failure of the tripartite meeting held at Uttarkanya in Siliguri on Wednesday and blamed the TMC led government and TG owners for it. The union claimed the two factions are trying to put a blind eye on the demands of the workers and this could lead to unwanted consequences.

Speaking to reporters here today, DTDPLU Mirik unit president and central committee member Ajam Pradhan said, “Since there is no standard regulation on the daily wage the workers get, the DTDPLU wants the establishment of a standard basic pay for the workers.” Stating his organisation is completely behind the plan, Pradhan said if the basic pay is introduced the TA and VDA would automatically get applied.

He claimed apart from DTDPLU, other worker unions have also supported the idea and even a TMC worker union leader had extended his support to the suggestion during the meeting on Wednesday. “This could be a potentially viable solution to the issue related to the worker’s daily wage,” he added.

Notably, in the tripartite meeting yesterday, the INTTUC had suggested to increase the workers’ wage by Rs.23 on a yearly basis, which was supported by the TG owners. However, all the other trade unions stood firm on keeping the prevalent Minimum Wage Act intact. Following the disagreement the government had said it will hold another meeting on July 25 for another round of talks.

Pradhan also took the opportunity to criticize the INTTUC state president Dola Sen for his two-faced attitude at the meeting. He said Sen in his visit to Darjeeling had advocated about the Minimum Wage Act, while at the meeting in Uttarkanya he again went back to his union’s suggestion of yearly wage hike of Rs.23. “This also proves the TG owners and the TMC have are together on the issue,” he alleged.