Dibrugarh, July 31: The
general secretary of Chah Mazdoor Sangha, Madhusudhan Khandait
said that, though the problems of garden workers in West Bengal
are different from that of Assam, the new agreement has weakened
the bargaining power of the labour union in the state. However,
he will ensure that his workers will get a fair bargain in
the process.
The ACMS is the only recognised organisation
which can hold negotiations with the Consultative Committee
of Plantations Associations (CCPA). It consists of 12 lakh
labours in the Brahmaputra Valley.
While in Bengal the state government is
also a partner in any discussion or agreement between the
labours and the tea-gardens, in Assam the recognised trade
unions and the CCPA take most of the decisions.
A meeting is bound to be held between the
ACMS and CCPA in August 15, in which, the planters have decided
to put forward the proposal of linking wages with productivity.
The CCPA was upbeat that the proposal was accepted in Bengal
and hoped that it will be accepted in Assam as well.
Dhiraj Kakoti, secretary, Assam Branch of
Indian Tea Association (ABITA), said that the agreement in
Bengal will also affect the unions in Assam, and consequently
have an overall effect on the health of the entire tea industry.
The ACMS wanted the daily wages of the permanent
workers in tea gardens to be hiked by 50 percent – the
present rate is 48.50 per day. However, after the trilateral
agreement in Bengal they were not sure if they could achieve
their objective of getting a 50 percent hike in daily wages. |
Home
| About Us | Contact
Us | Site Map | Feedback
