Assam Tea Garden Workers Stage Morning Protest Demanding Immediate Wage Increase
Workers from multiple tea estates in Assam, including the prominent Tipuk and Raidang tea gardens, organized a significant two-hour demonstration on Tuesday morning in Doomdooma, Tinsukia district. The protest, which commenced at 7 am and continued until 9 am, effectively brought plantation operations to a temporary standstill as participants voiced their demands for an urgent revision of their daily wages.
Core Demand: Daily Wage Increase from Rs 250 to Rs 351
The central issue driving the protest is the workers' current minimum daily wage of Rs 250, which they insist must be raised to Rs 351 with immediate effect. Supported by the Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association (ATTSA), the demonstrators raised strong slogans against the state government, highlighting what they describe as inadequate compensation in the face of rising living costs.
Malati Karmakar, a tea plucker from Tipuk tea estate, articulated the workers' position clearly: "Due to skyrocketing prices, tea garden workers are finding it difficult to run their families. We would have been more happy if the government had increased the daily wages of tea workers from Rs 250 to Rs 351, instead of the one-time grant."
Mixed Response to Government's Financial Assistance Scheme
While the workers acknowledged the government's initiative to provide a financial assistance of Rs 5,000 each to all tea workers under the Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat scheme—marking the completion of 200 years of the Assam tea industry—they emphasized that this one-time payment falls short of addressing their ongoing financial challenges.
The protestors argued that sustainable wage improvement would provide more substantial and lasting relief compared to temporary financial aid, especially given the persistent inflation affecting essential commodities.
Additional Concerns: Pending Dues for Retired Workers
Beyond current wage issues, the demonstration also spotlighted serious concerns regarding retired tea garden workers. An ATTSA representative revealed that many retirees continue to live in financial distress because their Provident Fund and gratuity amounts remain unreleased even years after retirement.
"Many of the retired workers are living in financial distress because their PF and gratuity amounts have not been released even after several years of retirement," the representative stated, characterizing this situation as a grave injustice to workers who have dedicated their lives to the tea industry.
Warning of Escalated Agitation if Demands Remain Unmet
ATTSA leaders issued a clear warning during the protest, indicating that failure to address their demands promptly would compel them to intensify their agitation. This statement underscores the growing frustration among tea garden workers and their determination to secure better working conditions and fair compensation.
The protest in Doomdooma represents a significant mobilization of tea workers in Assam, bringing attention to both immediate wage concerns and broader systemic issues affecting current and retired plantation workers across the region.
