Jalpaiguri, Feb. 9: Confusionhas gripped the employees and workers of five plantations owned by the West Bengal Tea Development Corporation with a letter from the managing director of the undertaking asking them to specify if they want to work under a private management and the state government.
The government-run corporation had recently decided to hand over three gardens in the Darjeeling hills and two in the Terai to the Darjeeling Organic Tea Estate Private Limited and Malnady Tea Estate Private Limited, respectively.
"We had always demanded that the five estates be handed over to competent companies so that there is no problem with our job security. A letter signed by the WBTDC managing director has reached all the five gardens, mentioning that labourers and employees who are not interested in working under the private management can apply for government jobs in a prescribed format. As the notice is silent on several matters, we are confused," said Durga Mahali, the unit secretary of the Trinamul-backed Dooars Terai Plantation Workers' Union in Hilla Tea Estate.
"Nothing has been mentioned in the notice about the type and location of jobs which would be offered to us if we opt for them. On the other hand, tomorrow is the last date to apply for the new jobs. There is utter confusion among the workers. Many of them are questioning the contradictory move of the state, which, on one hand, says it cannot bear the burden of the five gardens and the employees and decided to sell them and on the other hand, is offering us jobs," added Mahali.
The notice, issued by Moumita Godara, the MD of WBTDC on February 3, says if there is no response from the employees by February 10, it would be deemed that the workers intend to stay with the selected company or the new management and that the state will not re-deploy them in any other jobs in future.
Hilla in Nagrakata has 779 workers, while Mahua Tea Estate has 146 labourers. Both the gardens are in the Dooars.
The WBTDC gardens in the hills are Rungmook-Cedars, Rangaroon and Pandam.
Leaders of other trade unions in Hilla spoke on other key issues.
"Nothing has been mentioned in the letter about the payment of our dues like provident fund and gratuity. We are concerned as we don't know when we will receive the dues, as the ownership of the garden will be transferred to the private management. The state should announce the dates by which the dues will be cleared," said Mariam Biwi, the Hilla unit secretary of the Citu-backed Cha Bagan Mazdoor Union.
"The notice has led to confusion as workers cannot understand if they will continue to work in the tea estate in case the government fails to employ them even after opting for government jobs. In case a worker is asked to leave the estate, how will he earn a living unless provided with a new job by the state?" Kothu Oraon, an Intuc leader in Hilla garden, asked.
Ashish Rudra, the manager of the Hilla estate, said he had retired about a year back and was still serving on contract.
"No details are available with us. It is only the senior officials of WBTDC who can elaborate on the issue," he said.
Officials of WBTDC in Calcutta couldn't be contacted.
Officials of subdivisional administration in Malbazar - under which Hilla is located - said the workers would surely get their dues.
"The workers will definitely receive their dues and benefits as these are government-run gardens. We have learnt that a notice and a format have been sent to the gardens asking workers whether they want to continue under the private management or opt for government jobs," said Jyotirmoy Tanti, the SDO of Malbazar.
'Hunger rally'
Thousands of tea garden workers, particularly women, in the Terai and the Dooars came out of their homes with empty utensils and joined the " bhukha michil" or "hunger rally" organised by the Joint Forum on Monday.
They were protesting against the state's delay in fixing a minimum wage for three lakh workers serving in Bengal's brew belt.
