Tea wage delay worries Trinamul

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Siliguri: Leaders of Trinamul-backed trade unions for tea plantation workers in the Dooars have warned the party leadership that the delay in fixing the wages of workers could jeopardise the prospects in the rural polls next year.

Until now, wages in the tea industry are paid on the basis of rates agreed at tripartite meetings. The last agreement that was signed over three years ago expired on March 31 this year.

"Seven months have passed since the expiry of the agreement. But even today, workers are getting wages at the old rate of Rs 132.50 per day. The state labour department has convened meetings to fix the wages but no decision has been taken so far. We have told our state and district leaders that a resentment is brewing among the workforce and if the issue is not resolved at the earliest, it might have an impact in the rural polls," said a leader of the Trinamul-backed tea trade union.

He said the Trinamul government had been instrumental in ensuring a considerable hike in the wage rates since 2011. "There is a huge expectation from the government," the leader said.

Unlike earlier, when tripartite meetings used to be held at regular intervals to fix the revised wage rates, the process suffered a jolt this year.

That is because the Joint Forum, an apex body of 24 tea trade unions, excluding those backed by Trinamul, is not ready to follow the earlier process but wants the state to fix minimum wages.

"They are playing politics. On one hand, they are not ready to sit for talks for an interim wage hike. On the other, they are planning to make an issue if no decision is reached on the wages ahead of the rural polls," said a Trinamul leader in Jalpaiguri.

(Shared by Kalimpong News: Source & Courtesy:  https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/tea-wage-delay-worries-trinamul-182210)