Hill shutdown call on bonus

VIVEK CHHETRI, 3 October 2019, Darjeeling: All seven trade unions in the hills have appealed for a 12-hour "closure" on Friday in an attempt to put pressure on the Darjeeling Tea industry to reach a bonus agreement.

The hills have not witnessed such a protest since the 104-day shutdown in September 2017.

"We are appealing to all shopkeepers not to open their shops from 6am to 6pm on Friday. We also appeal to all transporters to refrain from plying their vehicles," Suraj Pathak, CPM leader and former Darjeeling Rajya Sabha MP, said on Wednesday.

Although Karuna Gurung, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Binay Tamang camp) union, used the words "appeal for a bandh," Pathak said they were not using the word "strike, only making an appeal". "We also appeal to the tea garden workers to take mass leave on Friday," said Pathak.

Asked about the "strike free" promise made by Tamang, the party's trade union president, Karuna Gurung, said the situation was such that "we will answer our party president".

Six rounds of bonus meetings -- the last was mediated by the state government between the unions and management -- have failed. The managements have so far offered a bonus of 15 per cent of a worker's annual earnings. The unions, which had climbed down to 19 per cent from 20 per cent, have gone back to their old demand.

A rally was also brought out in Darjeeling town on Wednesday, which was later converted into a public meeting at Chowk Bazar. Union leaders had planned to start a relay hunger strike from Wednesday evening. "Since it was late today, we will organise a one-day hunger strike from 9am tomorrow (Thursday)," said Pathak.

Local union leaders have been asked to observe a 24hour hunger strike "in front of garden offices" from Thursday. Other union leaders have decided to "go about town" on Thursday evening to make the residents aware of their appeal for closure.

Tamang, president of the Morcha wing he heads, has announced "an indefinite hunger strike" from October 6 if the bonus issue is not resolved by Friday.

"Trade unions of all political parties have appreciated Binay Tamang's stand to go for an indefinite hunger strike," said Pathak, the CPM leader and former MP.

Planters have on their part last offered a "part-bonus" of 12 per cent to workers, which they have promised to distribute by Friday. "If a higher bonus rate is agreed later, the remaining amount will be disbursed," a source in the management had said.

The next round of bonus meeting has been called on October 17, by which time the festival will be over.