Wage issue of Darjeeling's hotel employees resolved

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 10 June 2020 | Darjeeling: A meeting was held mediated by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) between employees, the Darjeeling Hotel Owners Associations (DHOA) and other stakeholders, in which wage slabs were decided for employees of the hotel industry. 

"A 13-member committee has been constituted that is looking into the issue of wages and salaries of the hotel employees. Wage slabs have been agreed upon by both employee representatives and hotel owners," stated Vikram Rai, Convenor of the committee. 

Employees getting a salary below Rs 3,000 or less will be getting the same amount. 

Employees drawing a salary less than Rs 10,000 will be getting 50 per cent of the salary with a minimum of Rs 3,000. 

Persons drawing salary between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 will be getting 40 per cent with a minimum of Rs 6,000. For those drawing salary above Rs 20,000, they will be getting a 30 per cent salary with a minimum of Rs 7,500. 

"Due wages or salary for the months of April, May will have to be paid by June 17. Salary for the month of June will have to be paid by July 7," stated Samden Dukpa, GTA representative 

Dukpa said: "On July 8, we will have a review meeting." Rai added: "Both the hotel owners and employees have agreed on this arrangement. However, this is a temporary arrangement and the final call will be based on the Supreme Court ruling on the lockdown wages and salary issue which we hope will be heard soon." 

Earlier, the DHOA had announced that hotels would be closed down indefinitely from July 1 in Darjeeling owing to lack of tourists. There are 330 odd hotels in Darjeeling employing at least 10,000 people. Every year, the hotels cater to around 4.5 lakh tourists. 

However, after a meeting was convened by the GTA on June 8, the DHOA decided to roll back their decision and announced that hotels will not close down from July. 

( Courtesy, source- Millenium Post- http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/wage-issue-of-darjeelings-hotel-employees-resolved-410229)