Little headway has been made in the bilateral negotiation for revision of wages between the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) and Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS).Tea industry sources informed that the bilateral talks were called off for the time being after the failure of the eighth round
of negotiation between the CCPA and the ACMS.

CCPA's proposal to introduce productivity-linked incentives for tea workers instead of revision of the basic wages did not find favour with the ACMS which is demanding revision of minimum wages before it considered the incentives scheme proposed by the industry. Sources in the ACMS informed that the management associations, represented by the CCPA, proposed to hike the incentive for per kg of green leaf plucked by a tea worker in addition to the stipulated 21 kg he/she has to pluck in a day to earn the minimum wage of Rs 48.50 in Assam.

However, the ACMS stuck to its demand for revision of the basic minimum wage and informed the industry that it could consider the productivity-linked incentives proposed by the industry only after its main demand was conceded.The stalemate has led to the halt in the bilateral wage negotiation which is expected to resume early next month. In the meantime, the ACMS is keeping a close tab on developments in tea belts of North Bengal and Dooars where tea workers have gone on strike demanding wage revision.

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