The Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations, the apex body of tea producers' associations in the country, has expressed concern over the move initiated by the Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union to block despatches of made-tea from the tea estates in the hills of Darjeeling.

In a statement, the committee points out that a few days ago, the union submitted a charter of demands accompanied by a threat to stop despatches of tea if the demands were not met.

“It is a significant departure from all earlier practices where the charter of demands was first discussed in a composite manner with participation of all trade unions controlling tea workers in West Bengal,” the statement observes. “What is [a] matter of concern is that the present union's bid to bypass the established norms to achieve objectives through threats.” Also, the demands have been set with no relation to the ground realities of the tea industry.

The tenure of the three-year wage agreement, which came into force in April 2008, would expire this month. Negotiations between the employers and the unions over revision of wages are due.

The tea garden owners, following the time-honoured tradition, are open to parleys with the unions. Such negotiations in the past were generally held in a tripartite forum as part of conciliation proceedings initiated by the Labour Department of the State Government.

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