Workers of Peerumade Tea Company Ltd., which was reopened one-and-a-half years after remaining closed for 13 years, have not been paid wages for the past four months.
There are two divisions — Cheenthalar and Lonetree — for the estate, where two factories functioned before the estate was abandoned by the management.
It was reopened after being leased out and the company has been selling green leaves to other companies since then. But the new management now say they are finding it difficult to function due to the fall in production.
Headcount
At present, there are 300 workers against the 1,300 workers who were on the rolls before the closure. Many workers had retired during the period.
Almost all the workers hail from Tamil Nadu and have been traditionally living in estate lines, which have not been repaired for years.
Malathi, an estate worker, said they received only meagre wages, as per an agreement, and that too had been denied for the past four months. Even this had not been paid to them, she says.
They are given Rs.300 a week for ‘expenses’ and the rest of the wages is given by month-end.
Migration
Many workers have migrated to other areas, including construction sector. Those solely dependent on the wages from the company, due to the lack of other employment opportunities, are among the worst-affected.
M.A. Lalichan, a trade union leader, demanded that the management adhere to the agreement signed when the tea company was reopened. The living condition of workers was pathetic and they should be paid the arrears.
He said that the unions would jointly organise an agitation if the management failed to give the arrears immediately.
Almost all the workers hail from Tamil Nadu and have been traditionally living in estate lines, which have not been repaired for years
