DTDPLU calls Tea strike in Darjeeling hills on Nov 11, 12

The Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labor Union (DTDPLU) on Friday decided to call a two day industrial strike on November11 and 12 in the tea gardens of the Hills to demand implementation of the minimum wage.

The Joint Forum for Implementation of Minimum Wage comprisin21 garden unions of the plains and hills of which the DTDPLU is also a member had announced a strike in the tea gardens on November 11 and a general strike the next day with their demand.

The decision was taken in a central committee meeting of the trade union in Darjeeling. “We sat for discussion today with our union members and have decided not to call the general strike. It is the

tourist season in the Hills presently and schools will have their annual examinations from November 10,” said Suraj Subba, the DTDPLU general secretary.

The trade union however has decided to enforce two-day bandh in the tea gardens of the Hills along with gate meetings. “We will extend our support by not working for two days on November 11 and 12, instead of a general strike. We will stage gate meetings on both the days, too,” said the union leader.

The trade union wants the state government to implement a minimum wage act in the tea gardens. Presently, garden workers are receiving daily wages at the rate of Rs.90 which was increased from Rs.67.

“Our demand is that the state government fix a minimum wage for the workers like in agriculture sector,” said Subba. The leader said the union was forced to take the decision to call bandhs as the state government in-spite of eight rounds of meetings has failed to take necessary measures to meet the demand. “The government has only given us verbal assurances after the meetings and there is nothing in black and white. This cannot continue and we have to take a stringent stand hence the strike call,” Subba said. (EOIC)