TANTEA workers demand hike in Deepavali bonus, strike work

TANTEA workers in Coonoor demand 20% Deepavali bonus, threatening strike until government agrees to their terms.

Workers from the Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation (TANTEA) staged a protest near the office headquarters in Coonoor on Monday, demanding increase in their Deepavali bonus.

Stating that over 2,000 to 3,000 people were still employed at TANTEA estates in the Nilgiris and Valparai, the workers demanded that they be given bonus amounting to 20 percent of their salary, in addition to their monthly salary, Deepavali.

They said that while employees of certain PSUs were given a bonus amounting to 20 percent, the government had announced only 10 percent bonus for TANTEA employees. “TANTEA workers work in extremely dangerous and difficult circumstances, risking their lives. It is a huge disservice to deny them commensurate bonus, especially as only a few thousand workers are still employed,” said K. Vetrivel, from the Socialist Thozhilalar Munnetra Sangam.

The workers have decided to go on strike from Monday onwards, till the government agrees to pay them 20 percent bonus. The workers have reportedly turned down the bonus currently offered to them, and have given a written statement that they will not accept the current bonus, they said.

“We will continue our strike, and will only resume work once the bonus we are demanding are allocated to us,” they said.

The workers added that TANTEA, which used to employ more than 10,000 workers, mostly Sri Lankan repatriates during its heyday, now only employs a few thousand employees. “It is the duty of the government to ensure the welfare of the few employees still working for TANTEA,” said Mr. Vetrivel.