Dibrugarh, Aug 7: Around 35,000 workers employed directly and indirectly in tea estates under Andrew Yule & Company Ltd, a Government of India public sector enterprise functioning under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, have announced plans to resume democratic protests over the company’s alleged failure to provide their legally entitled wages, benefits, and service-related dues. Despite several rounds of discussions, protests, and formal agreements over the past four years, workers claim that the company has failed to implement commitments within the stipulated time, leaving thousands of people deprived of their rightful entitlements.

The pending issues include wages, bonuses, medical facilities, arrears, transfers, promotions, and other statutory benefits. In response to the prolonged delay, an emergency representative meeting was convened on Wednesday at the Naharkatia branch union office of the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS).

The meeting was attended by presidents, secretaries, office-bearers, and workers’ representatives from the Golaghat, Titabar, Naharakatia, and Moran branch unions representing Andrew Yule tea estates across Assam. The meeting was presided over by Naharkatia branch union president Abhiram Kumar.

The delegates were welcomed with traditional Assamese gamosas. Naharkatia branch union secretary Baloram Tanti delivered the welcome address.

Explaining the purpose of the meeting, Moran branch union senior secretary Lakheswar Tanti alleged that the anti-worker policies of the company’s top management, administrative inefficiency, lack of foresight, indifference towards workers’ grievances, and repeated false assurances by estate management had pushed workers into severe hardship. He stated that despite four years of continuous negotiations and peaceful protests, the company had failed to resolve the workers’ longstanding issues, making it necessary to seek the workers’ opinion on future courses of action to safeguard their rights and benefits.

Golaghat and Titabar branch union secretaries Ghanshyam Basai and Nagen Kurmi described as unfortunate the fact that workers have been compelled to repeatedly agitate merely to secure their legitimate dues. They expressed concern that the company has allegedly ignored workers’ representatives, violated agreements reached through branch and central unions, and failed to implement settlements concluded in the presence of senior officials of the State labour department, including the additional secretary.