Tea plantation workers protest demanding minimum wages

SNS, SILIGURI, 23 August 2023 : The Joint Forum, a conglomeration of trade unions associated with tea plantations, today served a representation to the state government through the Siliguri SDO today demanding implementation of Minimum Wages for tea workers, settlement of workers' land rights and other issues.

Notably, the Joint Forum took two days demonstration programme on those issuesin all tea plantations in the Terai, Dooms and I fill region from 21 August.

Left backed trade unions even staged demonstration at Gangaram Tea Plantation today in Terai region on the issue.

Significantly, the Joint Forum leader, Saman Pathak, who is also Darjeeling district CITU secretary addressing the gathering , today claimed that the police had arrested AlI India Tea PlantationsWorkers Federation Secretary Jiaul Alam from Jalpaiguri on 16 August intentionally so that he could not join the two days demonstration programme in the tea belt.

During representation to Siliguri SDO, Mr Pathak and other leaders pointed the issue and demanded unconditional release of Mr Ala m.

Mr Pathak also said when the Calcutta High Court has asked the state government to implement Minimum Wages the labour department should start working on it immediately to fulfill workers. long-standing demand of their legitimate claims.

Addressing the demonstration at Gangaram in the Terai region, Mr Pathak said they would not accept the state government's decision to provide five decimal land among the workers.

He also asked the workers not to give up their land rights, where they are living in tea area.

Notably, the state have started providing five decimal land in different locations for the workers even in the Hills.

Interestingly, protest from various corners, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chief Anit Thapa has recently requested the Chief Minister to provide additional land among workers for cultivation.