Plea to hold tea worker day

Guwahati: The Joint Action Committee for Increase in Tea Workers' Wages on Friday asked Assam tea workers to observe Human Rights Day on Sunday as Tea Workers Rights Day.

Human Rights Day is celebrated across the world on December 10.

"If right to life, right to liberty and right to personal security are the main conditions of human rights, they are non-existent among the Adivasis who work in the tea gardens. Our right to liberty has been violated by tea garden managements that do not allow formation of trade unions other than the Asom Chah Mazdoor Sangha. The workers do not possess any land rights," said committee convener Bibek Das.

International labour laws are being violated by the owners and management by not paying the minimum wages to the workers, he added.

The committee is preparing to submit memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission on December 19.