Assam Tea Tribe Students' Association decries Dispur's apathy on the wage-hike issue

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Hundreds of people under the banner of the ATTSA (Assam Tea Tribe Students' Association) protested in front of the Office of the Labour Commissioner here on Monday demanding hike in tea workers daily wage up to Rs 351.

Talking to the media here, ATTSA president Dhiraj Gowala said, "Earlier, workers' unions and tea garden managements had an agreement under which the tea workers were getting a hike in their daily wage each year. However, after the government's intervention into the affair of wage fixation since January 2018, the tea workers are being deprived of their yearly wage hike.

"In the 2016 Assembly Election campaigning, the BJP promised to increase the daily wage of tea workers up to Rs 351. However, after the party coming power at Dispur, it has not kept its promise.

"In 2014, the minimum wage of tea labourers was fixed at Rs 94. In 2015, after reaching an agreement between the labourers' unions and tea-garden owners, the wage was increased to Rs 115. In 2016, the daily wage was fixed at Rs 126 and Rs 137 in 2017. On September 15, 2017 a minimum wage advisory board was formed.

"It's crystal clear that from 2014 to 2017 the daily wage of the workers was increased by Rs 43 without any interference of any sort from the government. But after the formation of the 'Minimum Wage Advisory Board', the government took part in the process. Without any agreement, the government took the side of the tea-garden owners and increased the wage by Rs 30 – from Rs 137 to Rs 167 – with effect from August 1, 2018. However, the managements didn't release the arrears for two months amounting to Rs 300 crore. After the government coming to the scene, only Rs 30 was increased in the wage in 2018; but since then there has been no hike."

Gowala further said that instead of ensuring hike in the daily wage of tea labourers up to Rs 351, the government is now doling out sops to woo the labourers.

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