Tea bonus: Hill union threatens protests

SNS, DARJEELING, 2 OCTOBER : Gorkha JanMukti Morcha trade union, the Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU) today threatened to launch protest programmes in tea gardens if negotiations for the demand of 20 percent puja bonus for tea workers do not start within three days.

It may be mentioned here that the Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA) Which represents owners of a maximum number of tea gardens in hills has recently maintained that it will be able to pay the bonus tor 2017-18 at the rate of 8.33 percent, as per the provision of the Payment of Bonus Act 1965. Trade unions here have, however, protested such a decision and are demanding 20 percent.

"We have already started gate meetings in all the tea gardens in the hills, demanding 20 percent puja bonus and negotiations. The gate meetings will be held until our demand is met. Moreover, the last date for tea gardens in the Terai and Dooars areas to receive bonus is 6 October, and we want the meeting to be held within three days, or we will launch further programmes in the tea gardens,- DTDPLU spokesperson Milan Pradhan said.

Mr Pradhan, however, maintained that the programmes would be fixed after a meeting of the trade union if the DTA fails to call a meeting within the deadline.

On the other hand, DTDPLU general secretary Bharat Thakuri said, "If this issue is not resolved as soon as possible then there could be unrest in the tea gardens and the tea garden owners will be responsible for it. The tea garden owners are maintaining that due to the strike last year there was only 30% production in the gardens.Discussions should be held on the losses too."

it may be mentioned here that Joint Forum, a conglomeration of around 23 trade unions, has also declared gate meetings with demands for puja bonus in all tea gardens from 2-4 October.