Tea Trade Unions in hills to hold show-of-strength rally on Sep 27 demanding 20% bonus

EOI ,  SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 , DARJEELING : Trade unions affiliated to different political parties of the hills have decided to organize a show of strength rally on September 27 to create pressure on the tea garden owners to distribute bonus at 20 percent even as negotiation is in progress. 

Under the banner of Parwatia Shramik Sangathan Samavaya Manch (PSSSM) trade unions of the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, the Gorkha Janmumti Morcha, the Gorkha National Liberation Front, the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, the Trinamool Congress, the CPI (M) and the Hamro Party held a meeting in Darjeeling on Sunday to chalk out a strategy to get their demand heard. 

"The owners of different tea gardens come together to suppress workers and unleash atrocities on them. Therefore it is only right that different trade unions stand on the same platform to demand the rights of the workers. We have have chalked out our agitation programme to create pressure on the management of the tea gardens," J.B Tamang, representing the BGPM-affiliated trade union, said. 

On September 27, the PSSSM will organize a rally in Darjeeling as a show of strength of the workers working in the 87 tea gardens of the Hills. 

"We have already started gate meetings in the tea gardens. But on September 27, we will organize a rally of the workers and leaders of the various trade unions. If our demand goes unheard then we are willing to go to any extreme," Tamang said. 

Traditionally, bonus meetings are held between the trade unions and the management of the gardens, ahead of the Dasai festival to negotiate the percentage of bonus to be given to workers. 

Over the years the bonus rate has been fixed at different rates. Last year the bonus was fixed at 19 percent whereas the demand has always been for 20 percent; which is the standard rate followed by the management. 

"The management always creates problems before the Puja festivities. We are hopeful that the West Bengal government will invite us for another meeting to discuss the bonus issue," Tamang said. 

Earlier on September 2, the Darjeeling Tea Association and the Indian Tea Association, representing the 87 tea gardens, had remained firm on giving only 8.33 percent bonus and had even issued a letter to the trade unions that no further meetings would be called. 

However, following a warning by trade unions to enforce bandh in the hills, the State Government invited the trade unions for a meeting on September 20 at Siliguri. 

But the meeting was inconclusive and was suspended by the Additional Labour Commissioner who had convened the talk because of the unruly behaviour of a section of workers. 

"We (TUs) are capable of negotiating with the management. Some workers got aggressive during the talk and so the meeting was called off. However we have demanded that the negotiations must continue. During the meeting the management had proposed to increase the bonus rate by 1.17 percent to the mandatory 8.33 percent. We did not agree to this proposal. We will continue to negotiate till our demand for a 20 percent bonus is agreed on," said Suraj Subba, representing the GJM trade union. 

Subba said it was a tradition to negotiate with the management on the bonus rate. "We have been questioned as to why we negotiate with the management. As per law we are entitled to 8.33 percent bonus. But, we have the tradition to negotiate with the management for higher bonus rates which normally is 20 percent. This tradition will continue to exist and will not budge from our demand," Subba said. 

Workers depend on the bonus to meet the expenses of the Dasai, the most important festival in the hills. The inflation is high and market values of goods have soared, they have said.