Siliguri, Jan. 31: An apex body of trade unions will demand interim hike in wages for tea workers in an effort to strengthen its foothold in the brew belt of the Terai and the Dooars and also to deny an adivasi outfit further popularity.

The move by the Coordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers that includes the Citu and Intuc comes after the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad demanded that planters should increase the daily wage to Rs 250 — over four times the present wage — for the three lakh-odd workforce in the estates.

Committee convener Chitta Dey said: “The unprecedented hike in prices of essential commodities and shrinkage in facilities provided by the garden managements to the workers over the years have prompted us to take the decision.”

Although the tripartite agreement — the basis of the workers’ current wage — will expire on March 31, 2011, the committee has decided to ask for an interim wage hike. “Given the present situation, we cannot afford to wait for another year as this will affect the interests of the workers,” Dey said. The committee, however, is yet to decide on the quantum of increase it wants.

The current daily wage of a tea worker is Rs 62.50. From April, it will be increased to Rs 67, a hike of Rs 4.50.

Since the floating of the Parishad, labour unions have been dreading losing their support base. “The Parishad being an apolitical body has raised relevant socio-economic issues,” a Citu leader said. “The situation turned more favourable for the Parishad as the state held several rounds of talks with it and accepted some of its demands. We, too, had raised similar issues earlier but when the government agreed to some of their demands, it appeared as an achievement of the Parishad.”