The Tea Industry is an agro based labour intensive industry. It provides direct employment to over 1 million persons. Through its forward and backward linkages another 10 million persons derive their livelihood from tea. In Northeast India alone, the tea industry employs around 900,000 persons on permanent rolls.
The Tea Industry is one of the largest employers of women amongst organised industries in India. Women constitute nearly 51% of the total workforce. There is no gender bias with respect to employment benefits.
The Plantations Labour Act allowed employment of children above 12 yearsof age prior to 1987. This provision has since been abolished. No child below the age of 14 is employed in the tea estates now. In fact, following a recommendation by the CCPA in 1995, tea estates have stopped employment of any person below the age of 15 years.
The workers live in tea estates with their families. They are provided free housing and medical facilities. Workers in tea plantations enjoy the benefits of various legislative enactments. Some like the Plantations Act/ Labour Act and the Factories Act 1948 regulate working conditions, provide for safety standards to be maintained and welfare benefits like provident fund, workmen's compensation, gratuity on retirement, maternity benefit for women workers etc.
There is an Act on Minimun wages applicable to tea plantations, but wages are generally fixed through collective bargaining either in bipartite or tripartite forum on a state-wise basis. In such wage nego tiations, the workers are represented by their unions and the employers' side by the Associations.
In addition to wages workers also receive a Bonus before major festivals in the State in accordance with the parameters laid down in the Payment of Bonus Act.
In addition to statutory benefits, in Assam & West Bengal, the employers supply foodgrains at highly subsidised rates to the workers and their families.
The Tea Industry is one of the largest employers of women amongst organised industries in India. Women constitute nearly 51% of the total workforce. There is no gender bias with respect to employment benefits.
The Plantations Labour Act allowed employment of children above 12 yearsof age prior to 1987. This provision has since been abolished. No child below the age of 14 is employed in the tea estates now. In fact, following a recommendation by the CCPA in 1995, tea estates have stopped employment of any person below the age of 15 years.
The workers live in tea estates with their families. They are provided free housing and medical facilities. Workers in tea plantations enjoy the benefits of various legislative enactments. Some like the Plantations Act/ Labour Act and the Factories Act 1948 regulate working conditions, provide for safety standards to be maintained and welfare benefits like provident fund, workmen's compensation, gratuity on retirement, maternity benefit for women workers etc.
There is an Act on Minimun wages applicable to tea plantations, but wages are generally fixed through collective bargaining either in bipartite or tripartite forum on a state-wise basis. In such wage nego tiations, the workers are represented by their unions and the employers' side by the Associations.
In addition to wages workers also receive a Bonus before major festivals in the State in accordance with the parameters laid down in the Payment of Bonus Act.
In addition to statutory benefits, in Assam & West Bengal, the employers supply foodgrains at highly subsidised rates to the workers and their families.
