Kumalai Tea Workers: Demand to resume PF and gratuity payments

West Bengal: Workers of Kumlai tea garden in Malbazar block held a gate meeting on Wednesday morning by stopping work and demanding resumption of stalled provident fund (PF) and gratuity payments. The protest, which took place from 7 am to 9 am, saw work at the tea garden come to a standstill for some time as workers expressed their grievances. According to the workers, the current management initially introduced provident fund after taking over the garden, but later stopped the contribution. They allege that the outstanding PF dues now amount to Rs 1.8 crore, while gratuity dues amount to Rs 3 crore. The workers also raised concerns over several other unresolved issues affecting their welfare.

After the gate meeting, the workers’ representatives met the garden’s manager to discuss these issues. The garden officials cited excess stock of unsold tea as a contributing factor for the delay in payments. The manager expressed hope that the situation would improve once the tea stock is sold. However, the workers are dissatisfied and are demanding a tripartite meeting with stakeholders to address their concerns. In case of no solution, they have threatened to intensify their protest. “There are 780 of us working here and we are being asked to work without getting our dues,” said Indrajit Das, a worker at the plantation. “Today’s two-hour protest was a warning. If the management fails to take concrete action, we will have no choice but to intensify our agitation.”