Planters reject bonus at 20%

 

TT, Siliguri, Sept. 20: Tea garden owners today rejected the trade unions' demand for bonus at the rate of 20 per cent, saying the expenditure had shot up with a hike in wages for workers and the commodity's price had come down.

The trade unions insisted on the 20 per cent bonus and said they would hold a one-day protest in every tea plantation in north Bengal on Tuesday.

Today, bipartite talks were held here between the trade unions and the representatives of planters' association on the bonus rate.

Prabir Bhattacharjee, the secretary general of the Tea Association of India, said the wages had been increased this year and that had put extra burden on the planters. "Altogether, the cost per worker a day has gone up by around Rs 45. On the other hand, unlike last year, the tea prices are downwards this time. So, we have told the unions to come down from the 20 per cent mark and quote a rational rate on the bonus," said Bhattacharjee.

"We hope the trade unions are aware of the situation and will consider our problems. This would also help us take the talks forward," he added.

Chitta Dey, who represented the Joint Forum, a common platform of 24 tea trade unions, at the talks, said: "The first round of bipartite talks failed as the management representatives did not concede our demand for a bonus at the rate of 20 per cent. In 2014, bonus was paid at the rate of 20 per cent and there is no reason for the management to reject the same rate this year."

According to Dey, today's discussion started at 11am and continued till 4pm.

"As no decision was taken at the meeting today, we have decided to launch protests in each tea garden in north Bengal. A second round of talks has been scheduled for September 27 and we want a decision on that date. Just a month is left for Durga Puja and if no decision is taken on September 27, we will be forced to intensify our movement," said Dey.

He said on September 22, workers in each garden would assemble at the main gate and hold an hour-long demonstration to demand the 20 per cent bonus.Shared by KalimNews from The Telegraph in Kalimpong News at http://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.in/2015/09/planters-reject-bonus-at-20.html and http://kalimpongnews.net/2015/09/21/planters-reject-bonus-20/