Morcha union hopes for good tea meet results ....Morcha will discuss issues like parja-patta and wages for workers in the meet

SNS, DARJEELING, 2 DECEMBER 2019 : The trade union of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (Binoy Tamang camp), Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union, today maintained that they were hopeful "something positive" would come up for tea garden workers in a meeting scheduled to beheld this month with state labour minister Maloy Ghatak.

DTDPLU working president J B Tamang said in Mirik today that their trade union representatives have started meeting tea garden workers over issues related to benefits that they should be getting.

"A meeting is scheduled to be held with the state labour minister at Uttarkanya in Siliguri in the first week of December. We will discuss issues like parja-patta and minimum wages for tea garden workers, along with compensation for them for the 105-day strike in 2017. We are hopeful that something goodwill come out of the meeting for the garden workers," Tamang said.

According to him, their trade union and their party had earlier written to the labour minister for compensation to be paid to garden workers for the 105 days' strike. He also claimed that they were hopeful of a notification for the parja-patta to be out this month itself.

The other demands they will be taking up in the meeting is the issue of 8 percent increment of staff and substaff, which, though decided earlier, has not been implemented."These are all matters which have to be decided by the state government, and not the Centre, so we are holding talks with them." Tamang added.

It maybe mentioned here that the Morcha (Tamang camp) has made promises on several issues during the last general elections.

The prominent promises among which are parja patta (land deeds) for garden workers. release of payment for the workers for the 105-day strike period in 2017. implementation of the Minimum Wages Act in tea gardens and reopening of closed plantations.