Tripartite meeting: Tea garden workers hope for wage increase

MP | 9 Apr 2023 | Alipurduar: There are bright chances of an increase in daily wages of tea garden workers during the April 12 tripartite talks in Siliguri to be held in Uttarkanya, Siliguri to be held on minimum wages. 

Abhishek Banerjee, Member of Parliament and national general secretary of Trinamool Congress had hinted at this during a public meeting at Baburhat Playground in Alipurduar on Saturday. 

Banerjee had announced that representatives of the Labor department, tea garden management and workers’ unions will be present in the meeting. A decision to increase the wage could be taken during the tripartite meeting. 

He had also mentioned that the wage for tea workers during the Left-Front Government era was Rs 67 which has now increased to Rs 232 under the Trinamool Government. He directed the trade union leaders of Trinamool to speak up for the workers’ rights and hinted at the increase of wages in the same tripartite meeting. 

Experts believe that such announcements before the Panchayat elections will greatly benefit the Trinamool Congress, especially in the tea belt. The tea belt had drifted away from the TMC in the previous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. However, this announcement is expected to give Trinamool Congress an edge and rejuvenate the party in the upcoming Panchayat elections. 

Tea garden workers’ union of Trinamool Congress (TCBSU) welcomed this announcement. Birandra Bara Oraon, president of the central committee said: “The Union has been demanding an increase in wages for a long time and that the national general secretary aired similar demands during the public meeting on Saturday.” 

They hope that the tea garden owners will agree to it in the tripartite meeting on April 12 and the wages of tea garden workers will be increased. The state Labour department has scheduled a meeting on April 12. 

The minister of the state Labor department, Moloy Ghatak will be present in the meeting. Prior to this meeting, on April 10, the Labor minister will hold a separate meeting with tea garden owner organisations at the New Secretariat Building in Kolkata. 

The tea community considers this meeting to be significantly important. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/q1-2023-city-witnesses-rise-in-demand-supply-of-2bhks-514660?infinitescroll=1