Terai-Dooars tea workers to receive 20pc bonus

Workers in the 202 tea gardens of the Terai-Dooars region are to be paid bonus at the rate of 20 per cent this year. This was agreed upon between the tea garden workers’ organisation and the tea garden owners’ association following a two-day meeting held at the offices of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata.

All the four groups of workers - A, B, C and D - will receive 20 per cent of their wages as bonus before October 5. A copy of the agreement will be sent to the state labour department on Monday.

Last year too, the workers were paid bonus at the rate of 20 per cent and they had demanded an increase this year, but the owners’ association disagreed saying the industry is under recession.

Following the meeting, Chitto Dey, a workers’ association leader, said, “We demanded more than what we had received last year, but the owners did not agree to pay more than 20 per cent.” (EOIC)