State Labour Department Convenes Crucial Meeting to Resolve Longview Tea Estate Closure Amid Worker Protests

KalimNews, Siliguri, November 2, 2024 : The state labour department has called a tripartite meeting on November 11 to address the ongoing closure and escalating tension at the Longview Tea Estate, situated approximately 25 km from Kurseong in Darjeeling district. The estate has been shut since October 14 following the management's announcement of a suspension of work, citing "lawlessness" as the primary reason.

The additional labour commissioner of the north Bengal zone is set to preside over the meeting in his office, with invitations extended to both the management and the tea trade unions to expedite a resolution and push for the reopening of the estate.

Samik Chakraborty, an executive committee member of the Hill Plantation Employees’ Union (HPEU), confirmed their participation and highlighted the urgent issues at stake. "We will attend the tripartite meeting and underscore our demand that the management should immediately clear all dues, amounting to around 17 crore rupees. This includes a 20 per cent bonus for the workers. Additionally, we will insist that the garden be reopened without further delay," Chakraborty stated.

The workers' grievances have been building over the past weeks. Since October 7, a section of employees has been staging a relay hunger strike at the tea estate, protesting the suspension of operations and the non-payment of wages and bonuses. According to workers, Longview once boasted tea plantations spanning over 1,000 hectares and employed 1,200 workers. However, alleged management negligence over the years has reduced the plantation area to nearly half, and the workforce has dwindled to just 380 employees.

A senior worker expressed the urgency of the situation: “The management should resume tea production and allied activities in a full-fledged manner. We are prepared to provide support to revive the garden, but our dues must be cleared. The financial strain has become unbearable.”

The tripartite meeting represents a pivotal step towards resolving the standoff and addressing the grievances that have plunged the Longview Tea Estate into crisis.