Small tea planters to pay workers on hourly basis

SNS, 3 August 2014: As almost all trade unions prepare to demand the minimum wage structure for tea workers in the organized sector in the fifth round of tripartite talks scheduled to be held in Uttarkanya on 7 August, the North Bengal Small Tea Planters’ Association (NBSTPA) today announced that it would pay wages on an hourly basis. 

Addressing the 20th annual general meeting of the NBSTPA at the Kanchenjungha stadium here today, the secretary of the association, Nitai Majumdar, said: “There is no culture of eight hours’ duty in small tea plantations. The wage agreement for workers has been terminated, and we have invited the recognized trade unions to begin dialogue for the settlement of the wages. But this time, we have decided to strike a new agreement in which workers will be paid on per-hour basis.” 

“We have been paying remuneration to workers as per a wage settlement of the organized tea sector, in which eight hours of work is mandatory. But workers do not maintain the work culture of eight hours in many small plantations,” he added. 

Citing an example, Mr Majumdar said: “If a worker is entitled to get Rs 120 a day, we will pay him/her Rs 15 for an hour of work.” 

“We have decided to adopt such a resolution just to bring about a work culture in the small sector and to maintain quality leaf plucking. We will follow the rate of the wages, which will be settled through the tripartite talks for the organized sector. The time of recess will be settled through dialogue with the trade unions,” he added. 

Notably, tea cultivation expert Niranjan Chakraborty said he had noticed a very “dangerous trend” during plucking of green tea leaf in many small plantations, where workers do not pluck quality leaf and virtually collect leaf by using sharp weapons to meet the target within a short span of time. 

Criticizing the state government, NBSTPA secretary Mr Mujumdar said: “Many small growers have applied to the land and land reforms department, but they have not yet received tea cultivation certificates and lease deed for vest lands. Owing to a lack of ‘no objection certificate’ (NOC) from the state government, small growers are being deprived of financial assistance and other benefits from the Indian Tea Board and other organizations.”
Mr Majumdar thanked finance minister Amit Mitra for waiving the cess during the 2013-14 financial year and urged the state to waive the total agriculture income tax and cess in the future.
Mr Majumdar also highlighted the formation of a self-help group among small tea growers and finalization of the minimum support price of green tea leaf.
Deputy director of the Tea Board, CS Mitra said: “Small growers are given Rs 18 to Rs 20 per kg for green tea leaf in March and April. Significantly, the price of the leaf drops from Rs 20 to Rs 7 and Rs 8 in August and September. Small growers raise a hue and cry when the price is dropped, but they do not care to find out the reasons behind it.”
“Middlemen and brokers, who do not produce quality tea leaf and do not maintain the quality, play a key role in the drop in the price. If small growers produce quality tea leaf, bought leaf factory owners will buy it by paying a reasonable price,” Mr Mitra said.
“The Tea Board is keeping a close eye on bought leaf factories so that small tea growers get the minimum support price. But small growers should also produce and supply quality green leaf,” he added.