DERGAON, Sept 23 - The Assam Pradesh Committee of Bharatiya Chah Mazdoor Sangha (BCMS) has demanded fixation of Rs 350 as wage for daily workers of the tea industry.
The organisation has also demanded 20 percent bonus to its labourers. The organisation vide a press release stated that due to their poor economic condition, the health status of the tea garden labourers was very dismal.
The memorandum, addressed to the Labour Welfare Department and signed by the president of BCMS, Assam Pradesh Committee Rajib Borah challenged the objection raised by the Consultative Committee of Planters� Association (CCPA) in the draft recommendation on minimum wages circulated by the Assam Government on September 9 last wherein minimum wage for labourers of the tea industry was drafted as Rs 351.33 daily.
After receiving the objection from CCPA, the State Government constituted a one-man commission with Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Additional Chief Secretary to the Govt. of Assam to look into the matter.
The Commission asked BCMS to submit their representation along with Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS) and CCPA for final consideration of draft wages for labourers of the tea industry.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, the general secretary of BCMS, Assam Pradesh Committee Bir Kumar Chetry revealed that for the first time in the annals of wage board meeting for consideration of fixation of wages of tea labourers, the BCMS, Assam Pradesh Committee was invited to submit representation at the meeting to be held on Monday.
�We agree to the draft wage rate of the Government and reinforce our demand as Rs 350 daily to the labourers of tea industry�, he added. It may be pertinent to mention here that though BCMS as well as its Assam Pradesh Committee were formed in 1969 and affiliated to Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangha (BMS), but the organisation�s views were never considered during fixation of wages, where only ACMS and CCPA were called for discussion.
The organisation also demanded 20 pc bonus to the tea labourers for the session 2017-18. �We want justice to the labourers as they are the real architects behind Assam�s tea industry,� Chetry opined. �We are firm on Rs 350 as daily wage and 20 pc bonus,� he reiterated.
