429 tea laborers sacked by Management

Tension gripped the Dalsinghpara tea garden in the Kalchini police station area today when around 400 permanent workers confined deputy manager Mridul Majumdar to his office throughout the day to protest against the management’s decision to lay them off.

On December 8, the management issued a notice sacking 429 workers for remaining absent from work. But on January 6, the issue was resolved after the management and the trade union leaders of Citu, Intuc and the UTUC met at the office of Dooars Branch Indian Tea Association (DBITA). It was decided there that all the “sacked” workers would get their jobs back after replying to the notice. An agreement was also reached regarding those who had been working despite being sacked: it was decided that they too would be allowed to re-join, claimed Intuc leader Provat Mukherjee.

“However, the management now, in blatant violation of the pact, is trying to shut down the garden citing lawlessness,” Mukherjee alleged. The 429 workers were not allowed to join their duties today. “The process of terminating the services has been illegal,” Mukherjee claimed.

Majumdar said the notice was issued following instructions from the head office in Calcutta. “We have 2,300 workers in the garden. Those who had been absent from work for prolonged periods were served the notice, after a decision was reached at a higher level,” he said.

Deputy secretary of the DBITA Pranjal Neogy said despite making losses, the management of Dalsinghpara tea garden was trying to keep things running. “But if the tension escalates, there will be no other alternative but to shut down and leave,” he said.

Soumitra Mohan, subdivisional officer, Alipurduar, said: “The administration has instructed the garden management not to shut down without informing district officials. If they do, we can issue non-bailable warrants against them.” he said.

Mukherjee alleged that the Dalsinghpara management had not stopped at sacking. “They have proposed to reduce wages from Rs 48.40 a day to Rs 30 and to pay three days’ wages even after labourers work for a six-day stretch.”

Source > The Telegraph