DIBRUGARH, June 17 � Stung by series of labour unrest in its plantations across the State for paying no heed to the welfare requirements of the workers and their dependents, Assam Company India Limited on Monday made an agreement with the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), the trade union of the plantation workers, undertaking that the company will fulfill some 14 demands of the workers.
In a three hour-long discussion with the leaders of ACMS, senior officials and managers of all 14 tea gardens of the company reached an agreement to improve the education infrastructure in the tea gardens; maintain teacher-student ratio, make available all essential education facilities and also provide school buses for the children of the workers to move outside the gardens where necessary.
The company agreed to clear all pending gratuity and provident fund contributions of its employees by September and also ensure regular deposit of the PF contributions in the concerned Assam Tea Plantations Provident Fund and Pension Fund Scheme offices. The company also agreed to ensure that all the retired employees of its plantations received their due PF and Gratuity.
Assam Company India Limited with its headquarters in Kolkata, owns 14 tea estates in the State. The tea estates of the company are Dighalatarang, Dinjan, Rungagora, Nudwa, Hazelbank, Thanai, Khoomtai, Borborooah, Maijan, Kathalgoorie, Kondoli, Domordolong, Mahokitie and Greenwood. The tea company was represented, among others by G Bagai, the visiting agent of the company, Sunil Kumar, the vice president of Human Resource department of the company and senior official P Dutta, sources said. ACMS was represented by its general secretary Dileswar Tanti, branch secretaries � Lokeshwar Tanti, Nabin Keot, Rupesh Goala and tea garden units of ACMS leaders. The discussion was held at the head office of ACMS at Chowkidinghee here.
The company, among others also agreed to undertake renovation works of all living houses of the workers, besides repair of all their lavatories at the earliest. New houses will also be built where required and all regularised workers would be allotted houses. Henceforth the temporary workers will not be deprived of their entitlements, facilities and other welfare and social benefits, as per the agreement.
The other agreements include electrification of the workers� houses, proper medical facilities, promotion of Sub-Staff (Other Monthly Rated Employees) like the sardar, chowkidar, driver etc., ensure proper mobile cr�che, filling all labour vacancies, meeting the firewood requirements of the workers, regularly monitoring health and hygiene by maintaining proper sewerage system and disbursing house rents in line with industry wide agreements.
