Tea workers open to takeover by Andrew Yule

SNS, Siliguri, 9 January 2015: Agitating workers associated with five state-run tea plantations in the Hills and the Dooars have said they will allow only Andrew Yule, a Central government organization, to take over the gardens, and prevent other private companies from taking over.Sources said workers of the five tea estates may seek justice in a court of law against the state government’s efforts to lease out the tea plantations to private companies.The West Bengal Tea Development Corporation has received four bids of its three estates in Darjeeling.

In a significant development, Left trade unions have also decided to extend support to the agitating workers. However, the Joint Forum, a conglomeration of 24 trade unions, has adopted a resolution on the five estates and the decision of the state government to sell them off. Interestingly, Trinamul Congress-backed trade union leaders associated with the five gardens have started agitating against the state and alleged that the state floated tenders for private entrepreneurs without holding discussions with the workers. “We are always against privatisation. Since the state took over the tea plantations, the government should come forward to look after the interest of the workers,” general secretary of the Left-backed trade union, NTPEU, Abhijit Roy, said.

Another Left trade union, Tarai Sangrami Cha Bagan Shramik Union, has decided to support the agitating workers.

“The Joint Forum has made its stand clear on the five state-run tea plantations. The concept of tea plantation and jobs for workers can’t be abolished. Secondly, there will be no question of retrenchment. Thirdly, the state will have to take the responsibility for liabilities including all dues and legitimate claims like provident funds and gratuity for workers,” the union’s vice-president, Abhijit Mazumdar, said.

He added that when the state has failed to run the estates, the Central government will take them over because the state government had taken them over after private organizations failed to run them.