LABOUR-Wages of Tea Garden Workers in West Bengal

LABOUR Wages of Tea Garden Workers in West Bengal Sharit Bhowmik ON June 30 this year, the three-year wage agreement for tea plantation workers in West Bengal came to an end. Though nearly three months have passed, none of the major union's have found it worthwhile to demand a wage revision. It is now quite clear that the unions are not interested in pressing the employers for better wages. The Coordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers (an apex body comprising all major unions such as ClTU, INTUC, UTUC, HMS, etc) had called a meeting on July 10 to discuss this issue but no decision could be taken due to lack of quorum. Finally, on August 25 a meeting was held and the constituents came to a vague understanding that the demand should now be made for a need-based minimum wage. They have yet to decide what this wage will be in cash terms and the form of agitation to achieve it.