Darjeeling shuts over bonus demand by tea garden workers

Darjeeling tea garden workers strike over bonus demands, impacting tourism and emergency services in the region.

Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas of north Bengal witnessed a shutdown on Monday (September 30, 2024) over the demands of bonuses by tea garden workers. The strike was called after a tripartite agreement between the workers, tea garden management and the State government over the demand of bonuses remained inconclusive.

Several tea garden workers in the Darjeeling hills under the banner of the Tea Workers’ Protection Committee had called the strike after the tea garden management had not agreed to the demand of 20% of wages as bonus. The representatives of management are offering 13% of wages as puja bonus.

As part of their protest, the workers closed all roads leading to the hill areas and halted vehicular movement for 12 hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Emergency services and even movement of tourists were severely impacted because of the strike. In addition to blocking the National Highway, protesters locked vehicles at several points, including Kurseong and Sukna.

With the bandh called by tea garden unions, Darjeeling hills witnessed a strike after almost seven years. The last time the hills witnessed a strike was during the 100-day violent agitation in 2017 over the demand for creation of a separate State of Gorkhaland.

The development also comes at a time when the Darjeeling Tea industry is facing a crisis of low production due to adverse weather conditions and erratic rainfall. The Indian Tea Association had sought financial assistance from the Centre to support the Darjeeling tea industry.

The strike by tea garden workers coincided with ‘blood tea’ protests by Hamro Party chief and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabhasad Ajay Edwards. Mr. Edwards urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to consider the demand of tea workers and said that she is Chief Minister of Darjeeling also.

Ms. Banerjee who was on a trip to north Bengal refused to intervene in the ongoing bonus issue of tea garden workers. She, however, added that she does not support any strike.