Jay Birpara Tea Garden Closure Leaves 630 Workers Facing Uncertainty Over Wages and Bonus

The management of Jay Birpara Tea Garden in the Madarihat block of Alipurduar district, West Bengal, reportedly left the garden on Saturday evening following a dispute over outstanding wages and bonus payments. The development has left approximately 630 workers facing uncertainty ahead of Durga Puja.

According to workers, two fortnights of wages and five per cent of last year's bonus remained unpaid. They demanded that the outstanding dues be cleared and this year's 20 per cent bonus be paid in full rather than in instalments. Workers said they were reluctant to accept another payment schedule while earlier dues remained unsettled.

Management and Workers Offer Different Accounts

The management maintained that it could not pay this year's 20 per cent bonus in a single instalment. It reportedly offered to clear outstanding wages, the remaining amount of last year's bonus and part of this year's bonus. However, the two sides failed to reach an agreement.

Raja Bhattacharjee, one of the tea estate's owners, alleged that three female employees attempted to set the senior manager on fire, prompting the manager to leave the garden. This allegation could not be independently established from the information available and should be verified with the relevant authorities before publication.

Workers and union representatives disputed the management's position. Sabin Thapa, general secretary of the Bharatiya Tea Workers Union, which is associated with the BJP, alleged that the management had abandoned the garden to avoid paying outstanding wages and bonuses.

Labour Department Meeting Fails to Resolve Dispute

Workers had staged a protest outside the Assistant Labour Commissioner's office in Birpara on Saturday morning. Employees from Dalmore, Dimdema and Tasati tea gardens also reportedly gathered at the location to oppose proposals to pay bonuses in instalments.

According to a labour department representative, the management did not attend a tripartite meeting convened by the Assistant Labour Commissioner on Saturday, preventing a resolution of the Jay Birpara dispute.

At a meeting held at Dooars Kanya, the administrative headquarters of Alipurduar district, on October 14, the management had reportedly committed to paying two fortnights of outstanding wages. However, no agreement was reached on the bonus payment.

A labour department official said the department could not object to instalment-based payments if both the management and the workers agreed to the arrangement.

Workers Demand Full Payment

Workers have maintained that they will not accept the bonus in instalments. They announced plans to hold a meeting outside the garden office on Monday to discuss their next steps.

Another meeting involving management representatives, trade unions and labour department officials was expected to take place on Tuesday in an attempt to resolve the dispute.

The situation remains uncertain for the approximately 630 workers and their families. The garden's operational status, the outstanding payments and the allegations surrounding the senior manager should be confirmed through official statements before publication.