In Dibrugarh, November 22, the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), the premier trade union for state plantation workers, firmly opposes the sale of Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL) properties, a proposition considered by the state government to mitigate the corporation’s financial deficits. ACMS president and former Union Minister, Paban Singh Ghatowar, welcomed the Supreme Court’s recent directive to ATCL regarding unpaid wages and benefits for workers across 14 tea estates, describing it as a favorable verdict for the laborers who have diligently served the company.
Ghatowar emphasized that these workers deserve their dues, urging the state government to ensure the payment of outstanding wages, arrears, ration, provident fund, gratuity, and other statutory benefits. He advocated for realistic strategies to address these financial liabilities while also calling for efforts to revive the tea estates to protect the livelihoods of thousands of workers. Ghatowar criticized the notion of selling ATCL’s properties, questioning the private sector’s ability to uphold tea plantation laws amid the government’s own shortcomings.
Concerns were raised about whether private parties would operate with integrity and ensure compliance, especially given the government’s alleged failure to set a positive example as an employer. Ghatowar stressed that if the government pursues its plan against ACMS’s advice, it must guarantee equitable wages and benefits for ATCL workers, similar to those offered by other tea companies, alongside assurances of medical and welfare facilities.
The veteran union leader also suggested legal action against ATCL’s management and those responsible for the corporation’s financial decline. This reaction follows the Supreme Court’s order for ATCL to provide a comprehensive asset report by December 7, potentially paving the way for asset sale discussions to fund worker dues, as indicated by Justices Abhay S. Oka and A.G. Masih.
Original Story https://assamtribune.com/assam/tea-trade-union-not-in-favour-of-atcl-property-sale-1558712
Category : Assam,Featured
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Publish Date: 2024-11-22 11:52:00
