Threat to halt hill tea supply from March 1

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Feb 13, 2018, Darjeeling: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-affiliated tea trade union has threatened to stop dispatch of first flush of Darjeeling Tea from March 1 unless the remaining bonus of workers are cleared by February end.

The decision has worried tea planters who maintain that such a move will gravely harm the industry and the management might have no other option but to default on wages.

Bharat Thakuri, the general secretary of the Darjeeling-Terai-Dooars Plantation Labour Union, said: "The unions have cooperated with the management all along. Even the state government wanted the planters to pay the bonus dues by January 31. However, the planters are showing no sign of clearing the arrears. We have no option but to stop the dispatch of first flush tea if the dues are not cleared by February 28."

First flush production has just started in some lower elevation gardens and the produces fetches the highest prices with almost 90 percent of produce exported.

The planters had agreed to pay bonus at the rate of 19.75 per cent of a worker's annual earning pertaining to the year 2016-17. However, with the 104-day shutdown and a drop in production by almost 70 per cent, the management has been able to clear only 50 per cent of the bonus.

Sandeep Mukherjee, the principal advisor to the Darjeeling Tea Association, said: "We appeal to all unions to refrain from such a move. We have had no revenue generation for nearly 9 months now. We are committed to paying the bonus but when there is no revenue, how can we pay the bonus immediately."