Indian Tea Association (ITA), the apex body of tea planters, today expressed concern over the continuing stir by the labour unions in Dooars and Terai region of North Bengal, saying it was hampering production.
The stir, ITA said, started from July 2 and was still continuing with participation from 28-odd labour unions of North Bengal including that of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
ITA Chairman Azam Monem said that the wages of the workers of the tea industry had been historically determined through negotiations with the unions and the last agreement to this effect was signed on April 1, 2014 for three years and has since expired.
"Now, the industry is moving towards the minimum wages norms for settlements which is yet to be finalised in both the states of West Bengal and Assam," he told reporters here today.
Meanwhile, the industry had given two rounds of interim relief to the workers in West Bengal, taking the daily cash component to Rs 159, pending finalisation of minimum wages.
The daily cash component to the workers of Assam gardens was Rs 167, he said.
Monem said that production was down in June by 10 per cent over the corresponding month of the previous year while in July, it was still lower so far.
"Cost of production to the industry was inversely related to the production volumes which lower production levels raises costs," he said.
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