ALC calls tripartite talks over tea staff salary

SNS, SILIGURI, 22 JUNE 2022 : The Additional Labour Commissioner (ALC), North Bengal Zone, has called a tripartite meeting in his office on 28 June in response to grievances put forth by the Staff and Sub Staff Joint Committee associated with tea plantations.

The Joint Committee, in a letter to Labour Commissioner Amarnath Mallick, had on 15 June threatened to go on an indefinite strike from 4 July, and demanded a tripartite agreement for the settlement of their monthly salary.

Notably, by in creasing the daily rated wages of tea workers from the earlier Rs 202 to Rs 232 a day, the state government has also announced 15 percent interim increment in the salary of the staff and sub-staff in tea gardens.

In the letter to Mr Mallick, the convenor of the joint Committee wrote: "Reaching at the last edge of our poverty line we would request your good self to settle the above mentioned issue comprehensively through the tripartite negotiation process latest by the end of this month, failing which we shall have no other option left but to resort to strike for an indefinite period with effect from 4th July this year.'

Forwarding the letter, Labour Commissioner Mr Mallick had on 20 June instructed the Additional Labour Commissioner Md Rizwan to look into the matter.