Tinsukia: A protest took place at the Talup Tea Estate in the Tinsukia district of the state regarding the non-payment of salary and delay in payment of bonus.
Workers at the Talup tea estate, operated by Apeejay Tea Company, are protesting over salary delays rather than bonuses, highlighting ongoing issues within the tea industry that has persisted for quite a long time.
For generations, tea workers have fought for access to clean drinking water and sanitation in their homes, yet their efforts have often been met with indifference from the owners. On Tuesday, during the festivities of Vishwakarma Puja, tensions escalated as a ruckus broke out at the Apeejay Tea Company.
In an effort to modernise, the company has implemented a system for biweekly salary disbursement through banks. However, many labourers are finding it difficult to access their wages. Workers often take a day off to queue at the bank, only to discover that there is no connection to access their funds.
Moreover, while workers need to pay their shopkeepers promptly, delays in salary deposits can leave them without essential supplies including lentils, potatoes, and rice for days. Frustrated by these ongoing challenges, thousands of workers took to the streets today, demanding immediate action.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen what decisions and measures the Apeejay Tea Company will take to address these pressing salary concerns.
Previously, the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) strongly condemned the government’s decision to sell off tea gardens, citing the incompetence of Andrew Yule & Company Ltd, a central PSU, and the Central and Assam State Governments in managing just 10 tea gardens in the state.
AASAA disputes the claims of “financial instability” due to crop losses, rising wage costs, and a depressed tea market, as reported in some media. Despite these claims, tea prices in local markets and hotels remain unchanged, leading the organization to question the validity of these claims and hold the government accountable for any financial mismanagement.
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