Tea Inc eyes Sep 21 tripartite meeting for Hills strike relief

Sovon Manna| TNN | Sep 19, 2017, Kolkata: State chief secretary Malay De has called a tripartite meeting on September 21 in Siliguri to discuss the ways to reach a consensus on tea workers' bonus and resuming work at the 87 Hills tea gardens. The move came on a day when chief minister Mamata Banerjee pushed tea industry stakeholders to bring back normality in the Hills with her "open-the-gardens-or-face-action" warning.

According to industry insiders, the chief minister on Monday made her intention clear to all the stakeholders — owners, workers and political outfits. A group of 20 owners of Darjeeling tea gardens called on the chief secretary at Nabanna on Monday following the CM's meeting with Hills leaders Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa.

"Besides all the industry stakeholders, the state labour commissioner will also be there at the meeting to give his inputs on bonus issues. However, I don't want to take any serious action (against the owners) as I believe they would solve the problem at the tripartite meeting," the CM said.

Arijit Raha, secretary-general of the Indian Tea Association (ITA), said ITA members of Darjeeling will attend the September 21 meeting. "We will definitely try to find out a solution. Despite the low cash reserve owing to the huge crop losses this year, we are confident that the CM's effort will bear fruit," Raha added.

Goodricke MD A N Singh told TOI: "We haven't closed our gardens. The workers will be given work as and when they come to our estates. Regarding payment of bonus or wage, we need to calculate first. But who will make the book? What will happen to our office-bearers' and clerks' safety? From where will the money come as all garden banks are closed now?"

Owner of a leading tea garden in Darjeeling said: "Paying bonus depends on allocable surplus of the tea garden's account, which we don't have much. The garden owners of the Dooars and Terai have reached a bonus agreement of 19.75% this year, but we are not in a position of paying even the minimum level (8.33%) of bonus to our employees. But as it is an important emotional aspect, we have to reach a consensus on the 21st meet."

Experts feel that it will not be easy to reach a consensus. "Till the tripartite meeting happens, we are unable to comment anything. The books are not ready. But we will still try and pay bonus to those workers who will join work," said another garden owner.