Cease-work in Duncan group tea estates

TT, July 13: Workers of all Duncans-Goenka Group tea gardens in north Bengal started a cease-work from today demanding immediate payment of dues and protesting irregularities in wage payment and ration distribution.

The agitation started by the Progressive Tea Workers' Union (PTWU) and the Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU) - a front of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha - would continue at least till July 17.

"There are 12 estates of the group in north Bengal. All have been in a bad condition for the past five-six months," PTWU president John Barla said. "We were forced to launch a cease-work and it will continue till our demands are met."

There are 20,000-odd workers in the gardens.

"Because of irregularities in wage payment and distribution of rations, workers and their families, around 75,000 people in total, are facing problems. Many families are managing with only one meal a day," Narayan Biswakarma, a DTDPLU leader based in the Dooars, said. "The management had cleared a portion of dues (pending wages for at least two months) on June 23. They were supposed to make another payment on July 11 but no payments have been made."

A PTWU leader said the cease-work would go on at least till July 17. "On July 17, a meeting of trade unions would be held in the Dooars. If there is no progress by then, we would chalk out a plan for further movement. Meetings and demonstrations would be held at the entrance to each tea estate of group on July 10," he said.

A labour department official said: "The unions should have waited for few more days. Such protests would complicate the situation further."