Hind Mazdoor Sabha to pull up pending planation labour issues

SILIGURI: Hind Mazdoor Sabha ( HMS), one of the largest trade-union federations in India, is keen on pulling back many old issues pertaining to plantation sector workers to surface in the national level meeting of the Industrial Committee on Plantation Industry to take place on Wednesday.

With the chairmanship of Union Minister for Labour, the committee is a body constituted with representations from Governments of states having plantation as important economic and social importance, central government, plantation entrepreneurs and workers.

One of the most important issues in HMS agenda now to be taken into the meting table pertains to the wage of plantation workers. "The Minimum Wages Act 1948 is a barometer through which wage structures are fixed for various sectors, including plantation, in schedule of employment. Contrary to the initiative from some corners, plantation sector should not be taken out of Minimum Wage Schedule on the grounds that wages are determined through collective bargaining. This will expose the workers to wage structure having little bearing with the realities of their existence," said Mr. Samir Roy. General Secretary, HMS, West Bengal.

Put together, all the four most important plantation crops in India- Tea, Coffee, Rubber and Cardamom, enjoy direct involvement of over 2 million workers. Naturally, this wage issue carries immense social implication too apart from its importance in industrial arena.

"As per the recommendation of Inter Ministerial Committee, Govt. of India should bear at least 50% of the social cost in plantation sector," demanded Mr. Roy. "ironically" he added, "The committee was formed in 2003 and it prepared its recommendations for plantation sector workers. But those remained frozen till date."

Last but not the least is long pending amendment of Plantation labour act- enacted in 1951 to protect interest of plantation workers. But in the changed scenario during last 6 decades, the act is badly in need of careful amendment.

However, while talking to ET on these demands, large number of tea entrepreneurs from Darjeeling or Dooars have expressed their mixed responses on the demands.