A forum of trade unions has called for a two-day strike from Monday in the tea gardens of north Bengal demanding payment of wages to tea garden workers as per the Minimum Wages Act.
According to the trade union leadership, the strike will be held in nearly 400 tea gardens in the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar. Apart from these four districts, the strike will be held in tea-growing area of Mekhliganj sub-division in Cooch Behar and Islampur sub-division in North Dinajpur.
Minister holds meeting
Apart from the wage issue, the other demand is to ensure the benefits of the Food Securities Act for tea garden workers. In a last-minute effort to avoid the strike, State Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak held two tripartite meetings with theworkers and trade union leaders.
“The tea garden owners remained adamant and refused to pay the minimum wages. We have no choice but to go ahead with the strike,” Zia-Ul-Alam, the convener of joint forum of trade unions, an umbrella organisation of 29 trade unions told The Hindu .
Meanwhile, CM Mamata Banerjee has urged the workers not to take part in it. “I appeal to the tea garden workers not to support the strike..”
