Assam Chah Karmachari Sangha demands filling up of vacant posts in tea gardens

A CORRESPONDENT

DOOMDOOMA: "The tea industry is a pride of Assam and the Assamese. Contributions of the employees towards the growth of this industry are immense. But of late, a section of multinational companies on the pretext of losses have been depriving their employees from even the statutory benefits which are their due," said Rishabh Kalita, general secretary of Assam Chah Karmachari Sangha (ACKS), while addressing the employees of Apeejay Tea Limited in a meeting held at the Staff Club of the company's registered office situated at Talap near here on Sunday.

"There is demand for tea as beverage the world over. But the multinational companies are trying to paint a picture that the industry is suffering from a great crisis," Kalita added. The ACKS general secretary urged the tea employees to raise their voice of protest collectively against the exploitation of the tea companies.

The meeting, which was organized by the ACKS units of Apeejay Tea Limited gardens here to felicitate the newly-elected ACKS general secretary, discussed their various long-pending demands. It was chaired by the ACKS Doomdooma Unit president Umananda Dutta and attended by ACKS central committee vice president Biren Adhyapak and several central executive members besides the presidents and secretaries of Doomdooma , Margherita and Panitola Circles of ACKS.

Explaining the objectives of the meeting Pankaj Bhattacharya narrated how Apeejay Tea Limited had been depriving its employees of their legitimate rights and privileges. He also criticized the government for turning a deaf ear towards the problems of the tea garden employees. He also alleged that the present government was working for the interests of the multinationals and not for the welfare of the employees. In the meeting, ACKS general secretary Rishabh Kalita was felicitated with a phulam gamosa, a safura and a citation.

The leaders of the garden units as well as the registered office and central workshop units of ACKS of Apeejay Tea Limited apprised the central leadership of their various grievances. They told that in each garden of the company, 10 to 15 posts were lying vacant since long. But, the company authority instead of filling up those vacant posts, had been forcing the existing staff to take additional work load. Moreover, they also alleged that the company had not been repairing the staff quarters since long and was depriving the employees and their families from adequate medical facilities. The leaders of ACKS Doomdooma, Margherita and Panitola Circles also strongly criticized the company for its alleged anti-employee attitude.

The meeting unanimously adopted 10 resolutions demanding the company to fill up the vacant posts of the gardens, to restore the status of the Registered Office of the company situated at Talap, to implement the bilateral agreements and restore the curtailed facilities of the employees.

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