Sylhet Bureau: There has been renewed discontent among tea workers in Sylhet due to non-payment of arrears of increased wages to tea workers. They expressed their anger that they are not getting the due salary despite repeated dharna to the owner.
For the past few days, tea workers have held marches and meetings in Sylhet demanding payment of dues. If their demands are not met soon, they have threatened to launch a severe agitation again.
Raju Goala, President of Sylhet Valley Tea Workers Union, said, I have repeatedly protested to the owners demanding payment of dues. I have given a memorandum to the Labor Department and the Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. But there was no solution. There is anger and dissatisfaction among the tea workers for not getting their dues of 19 months. If the arrears are not paid, we will once again embark on a larger agitation.
Related sources said that two years in a row, there was a discussion between Bangladesh Tea Workers Union and Bangladesh Tea Sansad, an organization of tea plantation owners. It determines the wages of workers. If for any reason this contract expires, the increased wages will normally take effect from the end of the previous contract. It is also paid by the owner.
Meanwhile, the owner’s latest contract with the tea workers expires in December 2020. Accordingly, the new contract will be implemented in January 2021. However, after the expiry of that period, despite several meetings between the owners and the labor leaders, the two sides could not reach a decision regarding the increase in wages. In this situation, the workers of all the tea gardens of the country, including Sylhet, started a movement in August this year to demand an increase in wages. After their 19-day continuous strike, the tea garden owners held a meeting with the Prime Minister on August 27. At the end of the meeting, the wages of tea workers were increased by 50 taka to 120-170 taka. After this announcement, the tea workers called off the strike.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mojibur Rahman said, I have heard about the movement of tea workers. However, there may be a meeting of tea owners-workers-administration soon.
The tea workers say that after this announcement, the wages are being paid at 170 rupees fixed by the Prime Minister. However, as per the rules, the extended wages have not been given since the expiry of the previous contract till August this year. As a result, the workers are owed about 19 months of increased wages.
