32 tea plantation TUs to attend tripartite talks

32 tea plantation TUs to attend tripartite talks

29 August 2011

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 29 AUG: More than 32-trade unions associated with tea plantations in the Terai-Dooars today decided to take part in the tripartite talks, which is scheduled to be held in Kolkata on 4 September.
The trade union leaders, who had boycotted yesterday's tripartite talks, held a convention in Siliguri today and they decided to join the tripartite talks demanding wage hike, bonus and variable dearness allowance for tea workers.
The trade union leaders also threatened to go on a strike after Durga Puja  if the state fails not settle the wage-hike issue immediately.
In order to resolve the ongoing stalemate in tea plantations demanding a fresh wage agreement for tea workers, the state labour department convened next tripartite talks on 4 September when yesterday's tripartite talks were inclusive owing to the absence of major trade union leaders, who have been operating in the tea plantations in this region.
A total of 26 trade union leaders boycotted yesterday's talks. Only a few trade union leaders, backed by the Adivasi Vikas Parishad, Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha and Trinamul Congress, were present. The Darjeeling district Intuc president, Mr Alok Chakrborty, attended the meeting yesterday and explained the reasons behind the boycott.
Addressing the convention, the trade union leaders today criticised the state government's role and described its sudden decision to call tripartite talks on 28 August a “dirty game”.
They also claimed the state government was encouraging a group, working here for “vested” interests in connivance with a section of planters to dismantle tea workers’ unity.
A section of planters have been able to break tea workers’ unity in the Hills and now they are trying to implement their plan in the Terai and the Dooars with the help of a few trade unions.
The leaders also criticised the chief minister, Miss Mamata Banerjee's decision to curb the strike, a part of workers’ movement, and adopted resolution that the tea workers would go on strike if situation demands.
The convenor, Defence Committee for Plantation Workers’ Rights, Mr Samir Roy said: “ The state government would have to look into the plight of tea workers and settled a fresh wage agreement including introduction of variable dearness allowance (VDA). If the state government fails to resolve tea workers’ problem we would go on more vigorous movement after Durga Puja festival.”
The convenor, Co-ordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers, Mr Chitta Dey said: “ Convention today demanded more bonus and ex gratia for tea plantation workers than the rate of last accounting year. The planters would have to pay bonus at least three weeks before the Durga Puja. The planters would have to take decision on it within first week of September.”
According to the trade union leaders, tea plantation workers would stage demonstration and take out rally demanding wage hike, bonus and VDA on 2 September in all tea plantations and serve deputation to their respective employers.
On the other hand, trade unions jointly organise demonstration and convention and would serve deputations to the respective planters’ associations, administrative officials including assistant labour commissioner, the sub divisional officer and district magistrate in their respective areas.
The trade unions have also planned to meet labour commissioner and the chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee at the last stage of their movement.

GJMM leaders to review GTA Bill
Senior GJMM leaders, including the general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, will leave for Kolkata tomorrow to review the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Bill. “The copies of the Bill have been circulated among the Assembly members today. The GJMM general secretary will leave for Kolkata tomorrow. He will discuss the nitty gritty of the Bill with the state government officials before it is placed in the House on 2 September,” informed the Kalimpong MLA and the party media secretary, Dr Harkha Bahadur Chettri, over phone from Kolkata today.
Earlier, the GJMM leadership was skeptic as to whether the Bill would be tabled in the state Assembly during the monsoon session.  A few days back, the GJMM president, Mr Bimal Gurung threatened to revive the Gorkhaland demand unless the Bill was tabled in the House in course of the current session.   Mr Giri today looked contended with the copies of the Bills having been distributed among the MLAs. “We would, however, go through the contents of the Bill thoroughly before it is placed in the house. My party is happy that the state government has taken initiatives on the matter,” he said.
Dr Chettri stated that the Business Advisory Committee had held a meeting after the bill was distributed among the members of the Assembly. “It was decided that one and a half hour would be allotted for discussion on the GTA Bill on 2 September,” he said.

Pranab rules out giving tax concession to N Bengal

SILIGURI, 13 AUG: The Union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, categorically ruled out any possibility of providing tax concession to north Bengal. “There is no proposal to declare the region a tax-free zone,” he said, adding providing such concession to a particular state would raise ruckus in other states.
“We provided such preferential treatment to some states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. But other states raised cavil. So we have to be circumspect on the matter,” Mr Mukherjee said.
He, however, added that the Special Economic Zone in any state was entitled to tax exemption for ten years.
He was in Siliguri today to inaugurate a housing complex for the employees of the Siliguri branch of the Income-Tax department in Himachal Bihar.
Appreciating Miss Mamata Banerjee's endeavour to develop north Bengal, the Union finance minister (see file photo) said that the Centre was with her.
“The chief minister is ambitious. We appreciate that. We hope that the volume of regional trade with Bangladesh and Nepal would grow in the coming days, “he said.
He, however, evaded the subject of tea unrest going on in the plantation in the region, saying that the new government was looking into it. “A problem exists, but it would be resolved soon,” he stated. sns

Plantation workers’ strike total in Terai & Dooars, ma

Plantation workers’ strike total in Terai & Dooars, many held

12 August 2011

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 12 AUG: The 12-hour general strike at tea plantations in north Bengal was total in the Terai and the Dooars while it failed to evoke much response in  other districts of the region.
The strike was called by more than 32 trade unions, affiliated to the Left Front, Congress and other political organisations ~ except the Trinamul Congress ~ demanding hike in wages of tea plantation workers.
Normal life was paralysed in Siliguri and the Dooars due to the strike. Jalpaiguri town, however, was affected partially. Barring some stray incidents in the Terai and the  Dooars, the strike passed off peacefully. More than two lakh tea garden workers observed the strike in more than 200 tea plantations in the Terai and the Dooars. The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha-backed tea workers union and the breakaway groups of the ABAVP extended support to the strikers. Though the Trinamul Congress was against the strike, more than 3,000 tea workers belonging to the INTTUC extended support to the strike to maintain workers’ unity in the Jalpaiguri tea belt.
In Siliguri, government and private vehicles were off the road. Government offices, banks and other nationalised financial institutions remained closed for the day. All business establishments, market complexes in Siliguri were shut. Most of the educational institutions asked students not to attend schools due to lack of transport. The North Bengal University authorities postponed the day's examinations.
Siliguri police arrested more than 200 strikers belonging to Citu, Intuc and others organisations. Police have registered cases against some agitators on charges of blocking National Highway 31 at Bidhan Nagar in Siliguri.
The former state urban development minister, Mr Asok Bhattacharya, and other CPI-M leaders sat on the road at Hashmi Chawk in Siliguri protesting against arrest of their supporters, including three district youth and student leaders. Mr Bhattacharya alleged that police had arrested them following instructions from Trinamul Congress leaders. The former minister withdrew his agitation when police assured him that they would be released within an hour. A group of Trinamul leaders took out rally against the strike in Siliguri this evening.
In Jalpaiguri, police arrested around 100 strikers for blocking National Highways, preventing employees from entering government offices. Police were alerted when tension was mounting following altercations between the Adivasi Vikas Parishad-backed trade union workers and strikers at Moraghat, Chamurchi and some other places. The strike was total at Dabgram Industrial Growth Centre in Jalpaiguri. The Jalpaiguri SP, Mr Anand Kumar, said: “Except some stray incidents, the strike passed off peacefully in Jalpaiguri. Around 100 persons were arrested and released later.” The former RSP MP, Mr Joachim Buxla, who is also Jalpaiguri district INTTUC president, said: “The strike was total in the tea belt. Our workers supported the strike to maintain workers’ unity.”
Criticising the role of the ABAVP, Mr Buxla said: “Workers of the ABAVP, a non-governmental organisation, tried to open more than 10 tea plantations in the Dooars.” The convener of the 22 trade unions’ coordination committee, Mr Chitta Dey, claimed the strike was total, except some stray incidents. Mr Dey criticised the role of ABAVP leaders who protested against the strike.
The small tea plantations were affected partially due to the strike. The strikers had not forced workers to support the strike. In Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and North Dinajpur many small tea plantations were open. Workers attended their duties in 10,000 small tea plantations where the strike evoked mixed response, Mr Dey said.

ABAVP strike on 17 & 18 AUG
The ABAVP today convened a tea plantation strike in the Terai-Dooars on 17 and 18 August. The outfit president, Mr Birsa Tirkey, said the bandh was convened in protest against the apathy of the planters regarding their wage-hike demand. The outfit would also convene a three-day north Bengal strike beginning 22 August on the same issue.

Plantation workers to go on strike today for wages

Plantation workers to go on strike today for wages

11 August 2011

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 11 AUG: More than two lakh tea workers belonging to over 32 trade unions affiliated to the Left Front, Congress and other parties in the Terai and the Dooars called a 12-hour general strike in north Bengal on 12 August demanding fresh wage agreement and variable dearness allowance (VDA).
The three-day strike called by them from 10 August was total in over 200 tea plantations on its second day today. The tea workers led by their trade union leaders today took out processions in different tea plantation areas in support of the 12-hour general strike tomorrow.
The Trinamul Congress on principle decided not to support the strike. The Adivasi Vikas Parishad also decided not to join the strike officially. Mr Chitta Dey, convenor of the coordination committee for tea plantation workers, said: “A total of two lakh tea workers would participate in the general strike tomorrow. Tea workers have observed strike from 10 August in 54 tea plantations in the Terai and 154 tea plantations in the Dooars demanding their rights.”
Mr Datta said that a section of GJMM and ABAVP-backed tea workers had responded to the movement today though they were not members of the coordination committee.
Left Front leaders today alleged that ABAVP leaders, backed by the Trinamul Congress, had tried to break the unity among the agitating tea workers in different plantations. Mr Asok Bhattacharya, former state urban development minister, said that last night the ABAVP leaders had announced the settlement of wage agreement in different tea plantations areas to confuse the agitating workers, including the Adivasi people, engaged in tea plantation.
Mr Asok Bhattacharya and Mr Jibesh sarkar, the CPI-M state committee member, organised the workers at the Citu-dominated Gulma Tea Estate today in support of the 12-hour general strike.
Addressing the meeting at Gulma, Mr Bhattacharya said: “Nothing has been  finalised about the wage agreement between the state and the ABAVP leaders after the meeting in Kolkata.”
Urging the workers to observe the strike, the former minister, said: “We have demanded a minimum wage of Rs 160 per day for a permanent tea worker. The state would have to take initiative to introduce the VDA.”

Rs 68 cr loss due to bandh: TAI
The Tea Association of India (TAI), north Bengal branch, has estimated loss of Rs 68 crore due to strike called by the trade unions from 9 August in the Terai-Dooars region.
The TAI officials fear that the estimated loss may go up if the strike continues in this region.

GJMM-backed tea workers’ union extends suppo

GJMM-backed tea workers’ union extends support to strikers

11 August 2011

manas ranjan banerjee
GULMA (Kurseong), 11 AUG: In a show of empathy for the cause of the tea workers in the Terai-Dooars, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha-backed tea workers’ unions have extended support to tomorrow's 12-hour general strike in north Bengal. The strike was convened by over 32 trade unions affiliated to several political parties, including the Left parties.
The extension of support by the GJMM-affiliated trade unions to the agitation that has been continuing since 10 August in support of the wage hike demand involving the tea workers in Terai-Dooars, has assumed significance in view of the fact that the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad-backed tea workers’ union has backed out following a meeting with the state government in Kolkata on 9 August.  The Darjeeling district Left Front leaders, though seemingly pleased with the GJMM decision, have chosen not to comment on the development. The GJMM media secretary and the MLA from Kalimpong, Dr Harka Bahadur Chettri, said: “We have decided to support the three-day strike in the interests of the tea workers in the Terai and Dooars. Ours is the party committed to the cause of the working class and we would never deviate from it.”
Referring to the recent hike in the wages in the Darjeeling Hills, the GJMM leader said that the wages in the plains should be hiked accordingly. “There should be parity as far as the wages are concerned. The present situation when a tea worker in the Hills gets Rs 90 per day and his counterpart in the plains gets Rs 67 per day cannot be allowed to continue. We are for equality as regards the workers in terms of remuneration,” he said. A permanent tea worker associated with the CITU-dominated Gulma Tea Estate, Mr Ratna Bahadur Chetrri, said: “Except the ABAVP- backed trade union, all the trade unions, including the GJMM-backed one, are involved in the agitation.  We would struggle shoulder to shoulder. The interests of the workers are paramount.”
Welcoming the support extended by the GJMM to the continuing agitation, the convener of the coordination committee involving 22 trade unions operating in the plantations, Mr Chitta Dey said: “The GJMM decision would consolidate the tea workers’ unity in the region. The discrepancy involving the wages in the Hills and the plains should be immediately done away with. Otherwise, it would perpetuate schism and destroy workers’ solidarity”

GJMM-backed tea workers’ union extends support to strikers

manas ranjan banerjee
GULMA (Kurseong), 11 AUG: In a show of empathy for the cause of the tea workers in the Terai-Dooars, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha-backed tea workers’ unions have extended support to tomorrow's 12-hour general strike in north Bengal. The strike was convened by over 32 trade unions affiliated to several political parties, including the Left parties.
The extension of support by the GJMM-affiliated trade unions to the agitation that has been continuing since 10 August in support of the wage hike demand involving the tea workers in Terai-Dooars, has assumed significance in view of the fact that the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad-backed tea workers’ union has backed out following a meeting with the state government in Kolkata on 9 August.  The Darjeeling district Left Front leaders, though seemingly pleased with the GJMM decision, have chosen not to comment on the development. The GJMM media secretary and the MLA from Kalimpong, Dr Harka Bahadur Chettri, said: “We have decided to support the three-day strike in the interests of the tea workers in the Terai and Dooars. Ours is the party committed to the cause of the working class and we would never deviate from it.”
Referring to the recent hike in the wages in the Darjeeling Hills, the GJMM leader said that the wages in the plains should be hiked accordingly. “There should be parity as far as the wages are concerned. The present situation when a tea worker in the Hills gets Rs 90 per day and his counterpart in the plains gets Rs 67 per day cannot be allowed to continue. We are for equality as regards the workers in terms of remuneration,” he said. A permanent tea worker associated with the CITU-dominated Gulma Tea Estate, Mr Ratna Bahadur Chetrri, said: “Except the ABAVP- backed trade union, all the trade unions, including the GJMM-backed one, are involved in the agitation.  We would struggle shoulder to shoulder. The interests of the workers are paramount.”
Welcoming the support extended by the GJMM to the continuing agitation, the convener of the coordination committee involving 22 trade unions operating in the plantations, Mr Chitta Dey said: “The GJMM decision would consolidate the tea workers’ unity in the region. The discrepancy involving the wages in the Hills and the plains should be immediately done away with. Otherwise, it would perpetuate schism and destroy workers’ solidarity”

ABAVP to withdraw strike

ABAVP to withdraw strike

10 August 2011

KOLKATA/SILIGURI, 10 AUG:  The discussion with Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP) to withdraw the strike at tea gardens was partially fruitful  as it agreed to  stay away from the strike.
Mr Partha Chatterjee, state industries and commerce minister; Mr Purnendu Bose, the state labour minister, and Mr Gautam Deb, state north Bengal development minister held meeting with ABAVP members in the state Assembly.
It is learnt that the state government has agreed that the basic minimum wage would be paid to them and requested the tea owners’ association to pay the workers the minimum wage. It is learnt that the ministers agreed that the tea-garden workers should be  entitled to the benefits of the panchayats.
Meanwhile, taking a dig at the state government over its negotiation with the ABAVP, senior CPI-M leader and the former state urban development minister, Mr Asok Bhattacharya today said the state government was trying to drive a wedge among the tea workers in the region with a nefarious design to make a dent in the workers’ solidarity.
“It must be clearly understood that the ABAVP-backed Progressive Tea Workers’ Union is not the sole representative for thousands of tea workers in the region.  There are as many as 32 other trade unions, which have remained in the vanguard of the wage-hike agitation. They have convened the 3-day strike from 10 August in the tea plantations in the Terai and the Dooars, demanding hike in the wages and the variable dearness allowance payable to the tea workers,” he said.
Mr Bhattacharya further said that the state government’s stratagem was aimed at driving a wedge amongst the tea workers to help the planters gain control over the plantations.
“We are convinced that the state government has taken a strategy to go for a bipartite arrangement with the ABAVP involving a special remuneration package in order to break the workers’ unity,” he said.
Refuting Mr Bhattacharya’s charge, state labour minister Mr Bose said that it reflected the former minister’s narrowness of view. sns

‘CM’s north Bengal secretariat within 14 months’

7 August 2011

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 7 AUG: The north Bengal development affairs minister, Mr Gautam Deb, today said the work for chief minister's secretariat in Siliguri would be complete within 14 months.
Mr Deb was addressing a programme organised by Indian Dental Association, north Bengal branch, on academic upgrade. “In order to identify Siliguri, a fast growing ‘city’ after Kolkata, and to deal with the problems of north Bengal, chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee has selected a plot here and planned to complete her mini-secretariat to be named ‘Green House’ within 12-14 months, “ Mr Deb said.
Miss Banerjee had selected a plot at the Chandmoni Tea Estate, close a township project, at Matigara during her recent north Bengal trip. Following her instruction the district administrative officials have already managed NOC (no objection certificate) from the tea estate authority and started resumption of nearly five acres of land for the chief minister’s secretariat. The promoters of the township had also earmarked that deserted tea plantation area, as ‘Green House Project’ and they had not changed the character of the plot.
Mr Deb said the state has planned to upgrade the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMC&H) as regional medical centre. He said: “The principal secretary of the health department is looking into the matter to upgrade the health infrastructure in the state, including the NBMC&H. The CM has asked me to prepare a paper in consultation with experts to set up regional medical centre here.” The state has planned to set up second health campus of Siliguri district hospital and Jalpaiguri district hospital, Mr Deb said.

Gautam to seek CM’s help to resolve crisis in tea belt

7 August 2011

SILIGURI, 7 AUG: At a time when almost all trade unions in the Terai and the Dooars are adamant on a three-day strike from 10 August in the tea belt, including a 12-hour general strike on 12 August in north Bengal demanding increment of tea workers’ wages and variable dearness allowance (VDA), the north Bengal development affairs minister, Mr Gautam Deb, is trying to call off the strike.
Mr Deb will take up the matter with chief minister Miss Mamata Benerjee on 9 August through the state labour minister, Mr Purnendu Basu, to resolve the crisis. The coordination committee of tea plantation workers’ unions, comprising more than 20 organisations, including Intuc, Citu and others, had decided to go on a strike when the tripartite meeting, called by the state labour department, to finalise tripartite wage agreement between the state, planters and trade unions, fizzled out in Kolkata on 4 and 5 August.
Notably, the three-year wage agreement has ended on 31 March 2011. At present a permanent tea worker gets Rs 67 per day in the Terai and the Dooars.  The planters in the Hills have increased the wages from Rs 67 to Rs 90 following agitation of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morch backed trade union. The state government had not interfered when the Darjeeling Tea Association had to increase wages separately to run their business in early 2011. When the coordination committee of planters’ association (CCPA) was reluctant to increase wages for tea workers following the trade unions’ demands, including the ABAVP-backed tea workers’ union, the angry trade union leaders decided to call a three-day strike in the tea belt from 10 August and a 12-hour general strike on 12 August in north Bengal. sns