Assam: Turmoil over 20% bonus at Doomdooma tea gardens

DOOMDOOMA: The tea estates workers who are given 20% bonus before Durga Puja are not getting bonus at that rate even after declaration of the State government to that effect. This led the workers to agitate to vent their grievances in most of the tea gardens of the region. Doomdooma, which is undeclared ‘tea city’ of Upper Assam, has more than 40 tea estates belonging to the leading tea majors like M. K. Shah (Export) Ltd., Assam Tea Company, Apeejay Tea Ltd., Warren Tea Ltd., Williamson Magor Group Companies etc.

On Monday morning, the tea workers of Rupai TE belonging to Atyulya Group of companies gheraoed the tea garden office to register their strong protest. According to the tea workers, the said company offered to give bonus instalment wise in two parts - 15 % bonus before Puja and the rest amount afterwards in the month of January on ground of incurring loss. But the tea workers refused to accept this offer as their bonus belongs to production of previous years account. On the other hand on September 30, the tea workers protested against this decision of the company and demanded to give 20% bonus at a time before puja. They further said there are managerial staff and the owners to look after the profit and loss of the company. On the other hand, the workers on their part did their duties as per work order allotted to them in the face of harsh weather condition.

An agreement was signed previously also to offer bonus at the rate of 15% before puja. But later, the management had to give in to the strong protest raised by the workers. It is under this circumstances that the workers find it hard to swallow the same old repetition of the decision rejected by them in the past.

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