The staff and sub-staff joint committee (SSSJC), associated with tea plantations in Terai, Dooars and Darjeeling Hills, has requested the secretary general of the Conservative Committee of Planters’ Association (CCPA) to settle their pay scale through bipartite agreement.
The SSSJC has decided to settle the monthly rated pay scale through bipartite agreement since the present tripartite agreement will expire on 31 December 2023.
Notably, the SSSJC had to discontinue its agitation demanding implementation of Minimum Wages Act and settled pay scale for monthly rated employees associated with tea gardens in this region, by signing tripartite agreement.
Significantly, the SSSJC is now demanding that the pay scale for monthly rated staffs and sub-staff through bipartite agreement.
The SSSJC has recently served a charter of demand to the CCPA and its copy has been forwarded to authorities concerned including the minister in-charge of the labour department.
It has pointed out non-compliance of the two subjects of the tripartite agreement inked on 05-07-2022.
“We demand that the new monthly rated pay scale should be settled for the period from 01-01-2024 to 31-12-2026, inclusive of all pending issues that would be considered for bilateral discussion and settlement,” the SSSJC leadership said.
The SSSJC has also demanded that ‘identical retirement age’ should be 60 years for all tea workmen with immediate effect.
Besides, the SSSJC has also demanded that the management should fill in vacancies and ration should be provided to workmen in kinds following the present system which is going on in Assam.