NUPW to stick to 20pc bonus for garden workers

Darjeeling

18 Sep 2013

The INTUC-affiliated National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW) today convened for a meeting in Darjeeling to discuss this year’s bonus for tea garden workers.

“We held a meeting today and have taken a resolution that tea garden workers must be given 20 per cent bonus as well as a 2 percent ex-gratia payment,” informed NUPW general secretary Lawrence PT Lama.

When reminded about last month’s strike and the problems it may have caused to the tea gardens, Lama said, “Yes there was a month-long strike, but it must be remembered the tea gardens were kept out of bounds from the bandh. Hence, we will stick to our demand at the meeting of the Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA) scheduled on September 20.”

The DTA is an umbrella organisation of the 87 tea gardens located in the Darjeeling hills.

Meanwhile, GJM chief Bimal Gurung has called a meeting of the Janmukti Secondary Teacher’s Organisation and the students’ front on Thursday. Though the meeting’s agenda was not divulged, party sources said Gurung is expected to discuss the government employee salary deduction issue for the month of August.