Minimum wage onus on state - Union minister tells states to act on tea workers’ wages

Nirmala Sitharaman in Guwahati on Monday. (PTI)

TT, Oct. 13: Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union minister of state for commerce and industries, today put the onus of minimum wages for tea workers on state governments after a meeting with a Bengal delegation that raised this demand with her.

The minister appeared to support minimum wages in the tea sector when she held a meeting with stakeholders of the industry in Guwahati today but did not commit on what the Centre would do.

Tea trade unions in Bengal have been demanding that a minimum wage be brought in the industry, though planters feel that as the workers get benefits such as subsidised ration, housing, medical facilities and electricity, the demand for a minimum wage cannot be supported.

“The non-cash component (fringe benefits) is being interpreted differently by different people, which is unwarranted since the government order on minimum wage is clear and it needs to be implemented,” Sitharaman said.

“In fact, I will ask every state government to see that minimum wage fixed by the government is paid to the tea garden workers,” she added.

Garden union leaders said after the meeting that Sitharaman had categorically supported minimum wage for tea workers.

Chitta Dey, the convenor of the Co-ordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers in north Bengal, said: “We elaborated on the present state of affairs in the tea sector in Bengal and apprised the minister of our demand to introduce minimum wages in the industry. We also mentioned that the last wage agreement had expired on March 31 and no decision has been reached on revision of the pay.”

He said: “The Union minister sounded surprised and categorically mentioned that minimum wage should be introduced in tea industry. She also asked representatives of planters’ associations why minimum wages had not been introduced.”

Wages in the tea industry of Bengal are fixed on an ad hoc basis through tripartite agreements.

However, this year, most of the trade unions are demanding that a minimum wage be announced for workers. In Bengal, the lowest minimum wage is Rs 206 in agricultural sector, which is for unskilled workers.

Tea garden hands are skilled workers.

Prabir Bhattacharjee, the secretary general of the Tea Association of India, said the planters were not against the minimum wage demand but fringe benefits provided to workers also needed to be taken into account.

“The demand for minimum wage was raised at the meeting. As the minister said it should be implemented, we mentioned that we were not against the demand but certain factors needed to be considered. As we are governed by the Plantation Labour Act, we have to give a lot of benefits to workers, for which a substantial amount is spent,” said Bhattacharjee.

The cease-work called by 23 trade unions in north Bengal was total today.