Asom tea companies yet to announce bonus for workers

Guwahati, Sept 1 (UNI) Tea companies in Asom has failed to meet August 31 deadline, set by the state government, for announcing the bonus rates for the tea garden workers before Durga pujas.

The state government had asked the companies to make bonus payments by September 22 and announce the rates by August 31.

However, Asom Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS) sources informed that not a single tea company announced bonus rates so far.

The bonus rates were usually fixed through negotiations between the tea workers' unions and the management.

The state government has also decided to control the law and order situation over bonus disputes and set deadlines for the tea companies.

However, bonus rate negotiation between the tea companies and workers unions were still on in Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys.

Bonus rates are fixed on the basis of the latest balance sheets of the companies. The ACMS sources claimed that so far no tea company had presented their balace sheets during negotiations leading to apprehensions that companies were buying time to fix the bonus rates at the eleveth hour.

Meanwhile, the state government has instructed the tea companies to stay in touch with respective district administrations to help avoid unrest over bonus disputes in the tea gardens.

UNI XC JYN RN1829