Tea Garden Workers Launch Chakka Jam Protests Over Bonus Dispute, Demand 20% Amid Festive Season

The tea garden workers have observed a Chakka Jam movement against the tea garden management's recommendation of workers to accept a 16% bonus instead of 20%. The Chakka Jam took place at many places in the hills including the Rohini area in the Kurseong today. The trade union leader said that, “The workers are demanding a 20% bonus.” Moreover a fifth round of tripartite talks on this bonus issue took place yesterday and it ended without an agreement. 

This meeting was held at the Siliguri’s Sramik Bhawan between the planters and state labour department and the workers union. One of the protesters who was part of the Chakka Jam movement spoke to the news agency ANI and said, “the state government is not increasing the bonus for tea gardeners. Despite repeated demands of twenty per cent of their wages , the government is indifferent towards their demands.” The trade union, Surendra Tamang said, “The workers will continue their protest against the advisory of the state government and will not rest till their demand is met.”

“We Will Intensify our Agitation,” Says Trade Union Leader

“The protestors are hell bent on sticking to their demands. Our demands are genuine and we urge the government to listen to us. We will not back until the government fulfil our demands for enhanced bonus. We will intensify our agitation and force the government to comply,” said another trade union leader Bikram Rai to ANI. The West Bengal government issued an advisory on October 1, 2024 to tea garden managements to pay a 16% bonus to the tea garden workers in Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong Hills. 

In the advisory, the state government said that while the tea gardens of the hills had earlier agreed to pay bonus to the workers at 8.33 per cent as per the Bonus Act of 1965 after a series of meetings held between management, trade unions, and the government at tripartite level considering the severe financial stress faced by the gardens, labour unrest ensued in North Bengal as the workers were not ready to settle for bonus at less than 20 per cent.

Subsequently, the management of the gardens agreed to pay a bonus of 13 per cent but the unions stuck to their demand of 20 per cent resulting in a deadlock. The tea industry is a major economic driver for Darjeeling and North Bengal, with over 500,000 people directly or indirectly involved.

According to the government, an industry-wide settlement has been already made to pay a bonus at 16 per cent in North Bengal, disbursement of the same has started in full swing there.

While the Durga Puja and Dussehra festivals are very near, it has become urgent and necessary that the bonus payment to the workers of North Bengal gardens should start without any further delay by the management.