Notification on Enhancing Daily Wage of Tea Workers in Assam by Rs 50 Stands Cancelled

Wage of Tea Workers in Assam: The Assam state government who have earlier in a notification announced to increase the daily wage of tea garden workers in the state by Rs. 50, now stands cancelled.

According to reports, the Labour Welfare Department, through a notification on May 26 has cancelled its earlier notification of February 23, which had enhanced the daily wage of tea garden workers in Assam by an amount of Rs. 50.

It is to be mentioned here that the previous notification was yet to be implemented as it was challenged by tea associations in the Gauhati High Court, with the Court staying the notification.

Further, the Court said that the management of tea gardens would be at liberty to pay the interim-wage hike to their workers till the issue is finally decided by the Court.

Hearing this petition, the High Court ruled that liberty should be given to the petitioners (tea companies) to pay their workmen any interim enhancement of their wages as they deem proper, till the issue is finally decided by the Court.

The petitioners had contended before the Court that no committee/ sub-committee, as required under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, had been formed before deciding on increasing the daily wage.

Meanwhile, the Labour Department has also formed a committee while cancelling the earlier notification under provisions of Section 5 (1) (a) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, with its Assam amendment, vide the Assam Act, 1964, Section 2 effective from August 11, 1964, for 'fixing and revisiting minimum wages' for the tea garden workers. 

Meanwhile, a meeting between Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and employers' and employees' representatives are scheduled to take place later today to discuss the matter of daily wages for the tea garden workers.

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