Tea workers protest 5% wage increase, demanding higher pay.
– 230 tea gardens in Bangladesh, production increased from 3 crore kg to 102.92 crore kg, but workers’ wages and benefits haven’t increased much.
– Wage Board’s gazette divides workers into three categories with daily wages of 170, 169, and 168 taka, which is not desired by tea workers.
– Reduction from 169 taka to 168 taka in the gazette is questioned.
– Festival allowance recommended in the gazette is 47 days, but Labor Code stipulates 60 days’ basic wages.
– Current basic wage of tea workers is 170 taka, but festival allowance is reduced by calculating working days.
– Gazette ignores tea workers’ interests and favors owner recommendations.
– Two-year labor contract doesn’t address wage determination, seen as an ominous sign for the tea industry.
– Union demands immediate intervention from the Honorable Chief Advisor to address wage disparity and ensure fair treatment.
News: The Daily Observer
Photo: Prothom Alo
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