The ongoing three-day strike by tea garden workers in north Bengal over raising the minimum wage could result in an estimated loss of Rs 38-40 crore to the industry, the Tea Association of India (TAI) said today.
The strike in 153 gardens of Dooars region and 48 gardens in Terai region called by a joint forum of tea garden workers yesterday, is likely to cause a crop loss of about 3.23 million kg, TAI president P K Bhattacharya said in a statement.
"This estimated loss will definitely cripple the industry to pay bonus to the workers,. TAI urges the state government to intervene and resolve the matter, as negotiations in fixation of minimum wage was still continuing," Bhattacharya said.
A meeting to find a solution to the impasse over raising the minimum wage of the tea garden workers remained inconclusive yesterday.
Twenty-three labour unions of the 27 unions under the forum are supporting the protest.
Another meeting to resolve the deadlock is likely be held on August 13.
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The West Bengal government had recently announced that the minimum daily wage would be hiked from Rs 159 to Rs 172, but it was rejected by the forum, its convenor Ziaur Alam said.
The forum is demanding a minimum daily wage of Rs 249 besides payment for electricity, clothing and education of children, he said.
It is also in favour of a shift in the status of tea garden workers from 'agricultural labourers' to 'industrial labourers', Alam added.