Workers of the Kilcott tea estate in Jalpaiguri’s Matiali block demonstrated at the garden on Thursday over the alleged non-payment of fortnightly wages and arrears in provident fund (PF) contributions, demanding that the garden be handed over to a new company.
Sammelan Tea & Beverages Private Limited, a Calcutta-based company, runs the tea estate.
Under the leadership of the Progressive Tea Workers Union (PTWU), the workers took out a rally on Thursday and locked the gate of the senior manager’s bungalow in
the garden.
On January 14, the workers had sealed the factory gate and removed the company’s signboard from the premises.
A delegation of workers led by PTWU met the joint labour commissioner in Siliguri on Wednesday and submitted their demands, urging the authorities to intervene and arrange a new owner for the garden.
“The present owner has failed to run the garden. Workers are suffering due to non-payment of wages and PF arrears. We want a new owner for the garden. The matter has already been brought to the notice of the state labour department,” said Ramchandra Praja, the PTWU secretary in the garden.
Praja mentioned that although the workers’ fortnightly wages were due on January 9, payments are still pending.
“The management is not depositing the provident fund with the PF authorities and there are huge arrears,” the trade union leader added.
The workers unlocked the bungalow’s gate later. “If our demands are not met immediately, we will resort to a larger movement,” Praja said.
Representatives of the tea company could not be contacted. A source in the labour department said they are aware of the issue and will hold talks with the company to resolve it.