Kerala: 4,000 tea workers protest bonus cut, keep unions out in Munnar
Tea estate workers of Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited in Munnar protest aainst a cut in bonus rates! "#ource: $ndian %&press' (it)out t)e support of trade unions or t)eir leaders, 4,000*odd tea estate workers of Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited "formerl+ Tata Tea' filled t)e streets of Munnar )ill station in Kerala for t)e t)ird da+ on Tuesda+, demandin an increase in bonus and dail+ waes! ma-or c)unk of t)e aitators were women deplo+ed for pluckin tea leaves in t)e estate! $n a state known for influential trade union leaders, no politicians are leadin t)e aitation from t)e front! T)e protesters )ave not allowed t)eir union leaders of $T./, /$T. and $T./ "of /P$, /PM and Congress, respectivel+' to -oin t)e stir aainst reducin t)e bonus to 10 per cent! 2n #unda+, t)e workers )ad attacked t)e offices of t)e trade unions! #ubse3uentl+, union leaders )ave one into )idin! ormal life in Munnar, a ma-or tourist destination in Kerala, was also )it due to t)e stir! 2n Tuesda+, women workers )ave started pourin onto t)e streets of Munnar! T)e women alleed t)at t)e trade union leaders )ad colluded wit) t)e manaement of t)e Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited "KDHP' to den+ t)em 0 per cent bonus! T)e women workers did not allow t)e BJP to intervene in t)e issue, alt)ou) t)e part+ )as called for a dawn*to*dusk band) in $dukki district on Tuesda+! Devikulam sub*collector P 5a-eev, w)o lead t)e conciliator+ talks, said 6t)e aitation )as no leaders! (orkers, mostl+ women, )ave spontaneousl+ spontaneousl+ )it t)e streets! T)e+ )ave brou)t Munnar to standstill, apart from )oldin t)e senior officials of t)e KDHP as )ostaes on Monda+! T)e aitators want 0 per cent bonus, but t)e compan+ is willin to pa+ onl+ 10 per cent! T)e labour commissioner )as convened a meetin on Tuesda+ to find a solution,77 said said t)e sub*collector! sub*collector! T)e estate manaement said t)e tea industr+ )as been oin t)rou) a severe crisis! T)e compan+ was forced to reduce t)e bonus from 0 per cent to 10 per cent t)is +ear due to t)e fall in t)e profit!
T)e compan+ said t)e decision to reduce t)e bonus was taken after consultin t)e trade union leaders! T)e compan+ incurred a fall in its income b+ 89 percent in 014*71 compared to t)e previous +ear! $n t)e past +ear, t)e compan+7s profit pluned to 5s 4! crore owin to t)e international fall in t)e prices of tea! T)e decision to provide 10 percent of bonus was taken in t)e annual meetin of t)e compan+, it said! T)e KDHP )as 1;,000 workers in its rolls, most m ost of t)em women enaed in pluckin tea leaves! T)e workers )ave 89 per cent of t)e s)are of t)e KDHP, w)ile 19 per cent is )eld b+ Tata Tea! T)e remainin 14 per cent is )eld b+ a trust and ot)ers! #ources said t)e ordinar+ workers )ave onl+ ;00 s)ares eac) wit) a face value of 5s 10! t t)e same same time, t)e officers officers in t)e compan+ own a ma-or part of t)e t)e s)ares iven to t)e workers! Hence, workers were missin t)e sentiments t)at t)e+ were co*owners of t)e compan+! ()en Tata Tea divested its stake, t)e estate was runnin at an annual loss of 5s 9 crore! However, c)anin fortunes in t)e tea sector in t)e second )alf of t)e last decade improved t)e situation! $n 00<, t)e KDHP )ad made a profit of 5s 41 crore! $n t)e earlier +ears after t)e formation of t)e KDHP, t)e compan+ )ad claimed t)at makin t)e workers part of t)e firm )as iven t)em a reater sense of responsibilit+! However, t)e revisit of crisis in t)e tea sector c)aned t)e situation and turned t)e ordinar+ workers )ostile aainst t)e manaement!
Kerala’s tea planters say hit by ‘worst crisis in 100 years’ =+ %T =ureau > < Ma+, 01, 0!M $#T K2/H$: Hit b+ a slump in prices of tea and rubber, t)e plantation industr+ in Kerala )as suested a series of measures includin a t)ree +ear moratorium on ta&es, a sinle window clearance s+stem for diversification pro-ects under t)e permission to use ? land for activities ot)er t)an plantations and purc)ase of one lak) k of tea a week from Koc)i auctions b+ t)e Kerala #tate /ivil #upplies /orporation "K#/#/'! T)e ssociation of Planters of Kerala "PK' said t)e tea industr+ in t)e state is oin t)rou) one of t)e worst crisis faced in t)e past 100 +ears of its e&istence! T)e averae auction price realised b+ tea produced from Kerala in t)e current financial +ear is 5s <!< per k w)en t)e cost of production is )overin above 5s 10 per k! @or ever+ k of Kerala tea sold in t)e auction market, t)e producer is sufferin a loss of 5s per k! %ven t)ou) t)e averae price of Kerala tea for t)e +ear 01 is 5s <!< per k, t)e actual price realised b+ t)e rower is less as nearl+ <0? of tea produced in Kerala is /T/ rade w)ose averae price is onl+ 5s <;!A per k! T)e lare tea producers like Kanan Devan Hill Plantations, Harrisons Mala+alam etc!, w)o are known to carr+ out cultural operations meticulousl+, are forced to curtail cultural operations to a lare e&tent due to t)e severe cas) flow crunc)! #ome of t)e estates )ave decided to e&tend t)e pluckin rounds in order to reduce t)e c ost and also t)e 3uantit+ of production, PK c)airman / Bina+ara)avan said! T)e small and medium tea rowers, w)o sell t)e reen leaf directl+ to tea factories, started abandonin t)e operations altoet)er!
Trouble brewing for southern India's tea industry 5ebecca =und)un February 25, 2013
M.5 CC $n Keralas tea countr +, meanderin meanderin mountain roads pass t)rou) rollin reen valle+s lined wit) t)ousands of neatl+ manicured tea bus)es! Distant roups of bri)tl+ dressed tea pickers look like mere specks bobbin in t)e sea of lus) reener+, w)ile w)ile tourists snap pictures or simpl+ aEe in awe at t)e countr+side around t)e )ill stat ion of Munnar! =ut be+ond t)e seeminl+ perfect, pictures3ue landscape of t)is sout)ern $ndian s tates tea industr+, troubles are brewin! Tea Tea estate manaers and ot)er industr+ sources in Kerala describe a sector strulin amid soarin labour costs and unfavourable weat)er patterns, w)ile t)e rivalr+ from /)ina and ot)er tea rowin nations looms lare! F/osts are spirallin,F sa+s GDuraira-, t)e assistant director of advisor+ services at t)e .pasi Tea Tea 5esearc) @oundations reional centre in Munnar! F/)ina, t)e wa+ in w)ic) t)e+ ar e rowin, is reall+ t)reatenin! Particularl+ in Kerala, t)e waes are ver+ )i) compared to ot)er plantin districts across $ndia! T)e tea price in t)e auction is not oin up at t)e same level of t)e input cost or t)e labour cost!F Last mont), si& of t)e ma-or tea producin countries * $ndia, #ri Lanka, $ndonesia, 5wanda, Malawi and Ken+a* areed to set up t)e $nternational Tea Tea Producers @orum, essentiall+ a tea cartel, to tr + to control prices to some e&tent and promote t)e industr+! =ut wit) tea bein peris)able and varieties of tea var+in dramaticall+, e&perts sa+ t)at suc) a cartel )as little c)ance of operatin in a similar wa+ to )ow t)e ma-or oil*producin countries run 2pec, despite widespread fears t)at t)e cost of a cup of tea will escalate! F$m not sure )ow far its oin to be successful,F sa+s Mr Duraira-, e&plainin t)at countries suc) as $ndonesia produce c)eaper teas t)an t)e subcontinent! $n t)e sout) of $ndia, includin Kerala, t)ere are ot)er forces at work t)at would be be+ond t)e control of t)e tea cartel! dverse weat)er conditions, includin frost and poor rainfall, last +ear contributed to a 1A!; per cent decline in e&ports from sout) $ndia over t)e Ganuar+ to Marc) period to 14!4 million kilorammes and a 1!9 per cent drop in t)e value to 1!;4 billion rupees "D)<0!8 million', accordin to official fiures! T)is prompted a 4! per cent decline in $ndias overall tea production in t)e first seven mont)s of last +ear to 4A0!9 million k compared wit) t)e same period a +ear earlier! FT)e industr+ is in a pret t+ bad position,F sa+s ppu bra)am, t)e assistant manaer of Harrisons Mala+alams ;A;*)ectare Lock)art tea estate in Munnar, w)ic) is e&pected to produce ;,8A0 tonnes of raw reen leaf tea in t )e current financial +ear! T)e estate produces its tea for e&port, wit) t)e Middle %ast, particularl+ t)e .%, bein its main market! (aes of plantation workers )ave rocketed to about ;10 rupees a da +, includin includin a minimum wae and all t)e benefits t)at t)e state overnment demands t)at emplo+ees are paid! T)e basic wae in sout) $ndias tea estates rose to 19;!4 rupees last +ear compared wit) AA!94 rupees in 00, accordin to fiures from .pasi! T)e Lock)art estate )as manaed its risin costs b+ cuttin down on labour! 2ver t)e past decade it )as almost )alved its number of workers from about 940 in 00 to 48 last +ear!
F%ver+ +ear well reduce t)e workforce b+ about to 8 per cent,F Mr bra)am sa+s! $n reions in t)e nort)*east suc) as ssam, plantations could often command more t)an double t)e price for t)eir tea and could pa+ t)eir workers less t)an )alf t)e waes t)at would be paid in Kerala, )e sa+s! T)e tea industr+ in Kerala is tr+in )ard to modernise its operations b+ addin tea pickin mac)ines t)at would allow it to reduce its labour force and increase production! $n t)e past si& mont)s, t)e Lock)art estate )as been triallin five )arvestin mac)ines, w)ic) are operated b+ two workers and cost ,000 rupees! .sin suc) mac)ines, eac) worker can produce 400k of tea a da+ compared wit) a ma&imum of 10k a da+ b+ usin manual s)ears! T)e estate stopped usin t)e traditional )and pluckin met)od in 000, wit) t)at onl+ +ieldin about 40k a da+, alt)ou) )and* picked tea is widel+ considered to be of a )i)er 3ualit+! T)e estate plans to add a furt)er five to 10 mac)ines in Ma+! FDa+ to da+, we )ave a problem wit) t)e labour cost,F sa+s Mr bra)am! FLabour availabilit+ is also a ma-or problem because in Kerala t)e c)ildren are ettin educated and t)e+ dont want to work )ere * t)e+ et settled in t)e bi cities! Half t)e people )ave mirated to ot)er places!F Prices of pesticides and fertilisers )ave also increased dramaticall+, as t)e overnment )as reduced subsidies, )e adds! =ob Devaia), t)e r oup manaer of Tala+ar Tea Tea /ompan+ in Munnar, sa+s t)e prices t)e compan+ was ettin in tea auctions were Fnot oodF, averain at 10 rupees per k over t)e last +ear! Fll over sout) $ndia, it will be in trouble,F )e sa+s! FT)e nort) will be able to survive because of lower waes!F Mr Devaia) sa+s t)e estate )as not turned a profit for four to five +ears and e&pects to lose between million and ! million rupees in t)is financial +ear, w)ic) ends on Marc) ;1! T)e estate is usin enforced leave for its emplo+ees to tr+ to reduce costs! $t is also )opin to diversif+ t)e use of t)e estate, for tourism, for e&le, to tr+ to enerate additional revenues, Mr Devaia) sa+s! Tala+ar Tala+ar )as not start ed usin mac)ines +et, but intends t o do so to increase productivit+! F$ts a c)allenin time because of t)e climate c)anes particularl+,F sa+s 5 mbalavanan, mbalavanan, t)e e&ecutive director in sout) $ndia for t)e Tea Tea =oard of $ndia! FLabour cost is ver+ )i)! ( e are tr+in to mec)anise our f ields as muc) as possible, but even for t)at +ou need t)e skills to operate t)e mac)ines! T)e risin cost of livin and better salaries in industries suc) as construction and retail meant t)at man+ $ndians do not want to work in t)e tea industr +, )e sa+s! FT)e Tea Tea =oard is tr+in to address all t)ese issues,F sa+s Mr mbalavanan, mbalavanan, e&plainin t)at it was tr+in to step up promotion, increase t)e 3ualit+ and boost e&port capacit+! F(e F(e are tr+in to )ave a better price realisation, but unfortunatel+ t)e suppl+ c)ain is ver+ lon in $ndia, so t)e profits are not reall+ oin to t)e producers and t)e tea rowers actuall+!F actuall+!F
Kerala tea plantation stir ends Manaement and workers finall+ aree on wae rise ovt panel to look into ot)er issues raised after ne&t mont)s local bod+ polls Ieore Gosep) 2ctober Gosep) 2ctober 1, 01 Last .pdated at :;0 $#T
T)e stalemate over t)e wae dispute in Keralas tea plantations ended on (ednesda+, at a meetin of t)e Plantation Labour /ommittee "PL/', on w)ic) bot) sides were represented, wit) t)e overnment keepin a watc)! T)e meet decided to raise t)e dail+ minimum wae to 5s ;01 and t)e -oint committee of various trade unions called off t)eir 1A*da+ strike! Pembilai 2rumai "(omens Movement', an unofficial movement of female workers in t)e tea plantations of Munnar, also wit)drew its strike, alt)ou) sa+in it was not satisfied t)e+d wanted a minimum dail+ wae of 5s 00! @or tea plantation workers, t)e dail+ wae rises b+ 5s 8
T)e past five PL/ meetins were inconclusive, wit) bot) t)e manaement and workers adamant! T)e companies offered a ma&imum increase of 5s ; a da+, da+, aruin tea plantations were in crisis due to low prices for t)eir produce! However, t)e /M insisted t)e dail+ wae be raised to at least 5s ;00 t)e overnment )ad pl anned to issue a notification to so raise waes if (ednesda+7s meetin )ad failed on a consensus! T)ousands of workers of Kanan Devan Tea, Tea, under t)e Tata Tata Iroup, )ad blocked Munnar town for nine da+s, demandin a minimum wae of 5s 00 a da+ and 0 per cent bonus! T)e areement includes 9!;; per cent bonus and 11!8A per cent e& ratia allowance! T)e strike )ad )it tourism, wit) man+ cancellations of )otel bookins in Munnar! %arlier, t)e .nited Planters ssociation ssociation of #out)ern $ndia ".pasi' )ad said reional plantations paid one of t)e )i)est basic waes in t)e countr+! @or tea plantations in t)e state, it said, t)e waes and ot)er benefits amounted to 5s 410!A a da+! lso, lso, t)at t)e basic wae of tea plantation workers in Kerala )ad one up b+ <0 p er cent since 1<<, w)ile t)e averae #out) $ndia tea price )ad risen b+ 1< per cent! T)e basic wae for a tea plantation worker in 1<< was 5s 44!A1 a da+, it said, and t)e averae tea price was 5s 41! a k now, t)e wae per da+ was 5s ; and t)e price of tea was was 5s 90!4 a k! Bi-a+an 5a-es, former president of .pasi, said t)e plantation sector in t)e sout) ave emplo+ment to ;80,000 workers t)rou) t)e +ear! 2ne of t)e main reasons for t)e sectors financial instabilit+, )e said, was t)e )i) cost of
production on account of social welfare costs t)rust upon it! Plantations are t)e onl+ sector compelled to provide )ousin, medical services, education, sanitation and ot)er welfare amenities, )e complained!
Labour unrest spreads in tea plantations in Kerala T)e series of strikes bean w)en t)ousands of workers, of Kannan Devan Tea, Tea, mainl+ women, )ad blocked Munnar town for nine da+s continuousl+ Ieore Gosep) > Mumbai #eptember 19, 01 Last .pdated at at 18:0 $#T
(orkers of various tea plantations across Kerala are now on an indefinite strike demandin an increase in t)e minimum wae to 5s 00 per da+! T)e strikin workers are blockin main roads and not allowin top manaers to attend t)eir offices! T)ousands of workers, of Kannan Devan Tea, Tea, under t)e manaement of Tata, Tata, mainl+ women, )ad blocked Munnar town for nine da+s continuousl+ for want of 0? bonus and and a minimum wae of 5s 00! T)e strike )ad been wit)drawn on an areement of 9!;;? bonus and 11!8A? 11!8A? e&*ratia allowance! T)e overnment will convene a meetin on nd of t)is mont) to discuss t)e rest of t)eir demands! $nterestinl+, t)e workers opted violent mode mode of aitation, blockin all roads to to Munnar, discardin all t)e reconised trade unions like $T./ and /$T.! $t was women workers w)o led t)e strike, w)ic) was a first of its kind in t)e )istor+ of plantations in t)e #out)! (orkers did not allow t)e trade union leaders to even to come to t)e strike location! $n t)e li)t of t)e victor+ of Munnar model strike workers of ot)er ma-or plantation companies like Harrison Mala+alam are now on an indefinite in definite strike at various locations! T)is ma+ aravate t)e crisis in t)e plantation sector of t)e #out), w)ic) is reelin under pressure because of cost escalation and fall in prices! Bi-a+an 5a-es, President, .nited Planters ssociation of #out)ern $ndia J.P#$ J.P#$ said t)at #out) $ndia plantation industr+ pa+s one of t)e )i)est basic waes in t)e countr+! $n a statement issued )e said t)at it is as )i) as 5s ;, dail+ for t)e tea plantation workers in Kerala! T)ese waes added wit) statutor+ and ot)er benefits works out to 5s 410!A per da+! T)e overnment also provides emplo+ment under t)e Ma)atma Iand)i ational 5ural %mplo+ment Iuarantee #c)eme and t)e waes paid to t)e workers under t)e sc)eme is onl+ 5s < per da+! T)e waes to plantation workers are not arbitraril+ decided b+ t)e manaement but fi&ed t)rou) neotiations as per t)e law! $t $t is intriuin to note t)at t)e basic wae of tea plantation workers in Kerala )as one up b+ !1< times or <0? since 1<< w)ile t)e averae #out) $ndia tea price )as one up onl+ 1!< times or 1<?! T)e basic wae for a tea plantation worker in 1<< was 5s 44!A1 per da+ and t)e averae tea price was 5s 41! w)ereas t)e wae per da+ now is 5s ; and t)e tea price is 5s 90!4! T)e tea plantations are on a serious crisis, especiall+ t)e small and medium sement in Kerala and Tamilnadu as t)ere is steep fall in prices since 014! verae price dropped 5s 1CK in 014 and furt)er dropped 5s 8 in t)is +ear to )over around 5s 90CK!
Labour committee meet called to end plantation workers strike in Kerala Manaement sa+s not in a position to )ike waes even as one roup oes on )uner strike T % arasim)an > Koc)i 2ctober 8, 01 Last .pdated at 00: $#T
Plantation Plantation Labour /ommittee "PL/' "PL/' meetin to resolve an onoin strike strike b+ about ;,000 workers across across plantations in Kerala remained inconclusive! ccordin to a source priv+ to t)e talks, anot)er round of discussions is sc)eduled for ( ednesda+! ednesda+! T)e protestin workers )ave demanded t)eir basic waes be increased from 5s ; a da+ to 5s 00 a da+! Plantation owners, )owever, sa+ t)e workers et more t)an w)at t)e+ claim and as t)e+ are under pressure due to lower productivit+, a fall in prices and competition from ot)er countries, t)e waes cannot be increased! )ead of t)e labour committee committee meetin on Monda+, Monda+, a Pembilai 2trumai 2trumai deleation met Kerala /)ief Minister Minister 2ommen /)and+! T)e deleation, comprisin workers from Munnar, said a decision b+ t)e c)ief minister on t)e issue would be acceptable! T)e all women*Penal 2trumai from Munnar, a ric) plantation belt, was t)e first to protest, wit)out t)e support of trade unions! #ubse3uentl+, t)e protests spread amon plantation workers across t)e state! ccordin to local media reports, 4 women from t)e Penal 2trumai )ave beun a )uner strike! ( )ile t)e roup )as refused to -oi n )ands wit) unions, establis)ed unions are also enaed in a )uner strike! ll unions were demandin minimum waes of 5s 1,000 a mont), said / Kurian, a senior member of t)e ll ll $ndia Trade .nion /onress! He added it was up to t)e overnment to come up wit) a decision on t)e matter! fter a meetin of t)e ssociation ssociation of Planters of Kerala Kerala "PK' on #unda+, #unda+, PK PK /)airman / Bina+ara)avan Bina+ara)avan told t)e media, 6/oncedin to demands wit)out an+ rationale will be a deat) knell for t)e industr+! industr+! He added t)e actual waes received b+ worker was 4 per cent more t)an w)at was bein pro-ected! Manaements, )e said, were willin to consider a reasonable increase in waes, provided t)ere was a correspondin rise in productivit+ and a support mec)anism from t)e overnment! T)e plantation owners )ave demanded t)e overnment do awa+ wit) t)e ariculture income and plantation ta&, cut land ta& to 010 levels, implementation of t)e suestions b+ as committee set up on plantations and e&tension of t)e rubber price support mec)anism! @or t)e state administration, findin a resolution to t)e issue is crucial, as elections to local self overnment bodies are sc)eduled for ovember and ! T)e plantation sector is one of t)e larest emplo+ers in t)e state!
Local media reports )ave stated trade unions mi)t )ave to climb down on t)eir demands, addin in t)e past, wit) t)e PL/ decidin waes, t)e unions could manae a rise of onl+ 5s 9 in basic waes! $f t)e basic waes were to be raised to 5s ;00*;0 a da+, da +, it would be one of t)e steepest wae increases for workers in recent times! Meanw)ile, a si&*member deleation of Penal 2trumai "(omen .nit+' is to )old discussion wit) Labour Minister #)ibu =ab+ Go)n! T)e roup from Munnar, one of t)e ric) plantations belts in t)e state, was t)e first one to o on strike! Local media reported t)at 4 women belonin to t)e roup )ave one on a )uner strike in place of t)e five w)o bean t)e strike on #aturda+
Tea: cupf cupful ul of woes The clouds of gloom presently hanging over the Indian tea industry are several shades darker now after the annual meeting of the United Planters Association of South India held in Coonoor. Raj Chengappa November 4, 2013 | UPDATD 1!"2# $%T A &A &A '
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en.a an+ Ch/na m*s()/ng /n 6o))o/ng an *npre(e+en-e+ boom /n 1# $n+/an e
earn/ngs e)) -o Rs 412 (rore B*- a)-ho*gh e
The average average pr/(e o nor-h nor-h $n+/an -eas a- -he Ca)(*--a an+ 9a*ha-/ a*(-/ons, h/(h h/(h reg/s-ere+ reg/s-ere+ a marg/na) /n(rease o on). 2 pa/se per g )as- .ear s-oo+ a- Rs 1402 Th/s as a)mos- -o r*pees )ess -han -he 1## pr/(e D*r/ng -he 5rs- s/< mon-hs o 1!1 -ea pr/(es a- Ca)(*--a a*(-/ons p)*nge+ The overa)) a*(-/on pr/(es pr/(es s-oo+ a- Rs Rs 1434, a)mosa)mos- @2 pa/se per per g )ess -han -han -he pr/(e or or -he (orrespon+/ng per/o+ )as- .ear %o*-h $n+/an -ea are+ eF*a)). ba+). The pr/(e a- -he Co(h/n a*(-/on h/(h as Rs 142# )as- .ear e)) b. a)mos- Rs 10 per g -h/s .ear h/)e pr/(es (on-/n*e -o +rop, /-ho*- sho/ng an. s/gns o per/ng *p, (os- o pro+*(-/on has been soar/ng /-h/n a span o o*r .ears /- has r/sen b. @0 per (en- $n -he -ea /n+*s-r. )abo*r (os-s a((o*n- or a)mos- 4 per (en- o -he -o-a) (os- o pro+*(-/on as- .ear be(a*se o a age h/e, (os- o pro+*(-/on as ja(e+ *p b. @0 pa/se per g or nor-hern reg/ons abo*r (os-s rose even more s-eep). /n -he so*-h The +a/). age or -ea )abo*r /n >era)a en- *p b. Rs 22 an+ /n Tam/) Na+* b. Rs 11@ 6er-/)/ser an+ (oa) pr/(es have been o-her b*gbears or -he -ea p)an-ers h/)e er-/)/ser pr/(es have gone *p b. more -han 30 per (en- (oa) o*-pa(e+ /- /-h 40 per (en- /n(rease The res*)res*)- has been a hopp/ng Rs Rs 230 r/se /n /n -he (os- o pro+*(-/o pro+*(-/on n per g o -ea -ea /-h/n a .ear .ear h/)e -he -o-a) (os- o pro+*(-/on s-oo+ a- Rs 1401 per g -he average a*(-/on pr/(es s-oo+ a- a meas). Rs 140 $n a(-, /n 1## -he (os- o pro+*(-/on o -ea as more -han -he average pr/(e a- -he a*(-/ons /n mos- o -he s-a-esG
Tea ana).s-s pre+/( Tea pre+/(- -ha-ha- -here /s bo*n+ -o be be a *r-her /n(rease /n(rease /n -he (os- o pro+*(-/on pro+*(-/on an+ -he en-/re /n+*s-r. /)) be even more har+ h/- ne<- .ear
8ena-araman" No -a< re)/es
The h/gh ra-e ra-e o -a
7*herjee prom/se+ -ha- he o*)+ preva/) *pon -he 6/nan(e 7/n/s-r. -o /n-ro+*(e -hese 5s(a) re)/es B*- +esp/-e -he s.mpa-h. no -a< (*-s have ma-er/a)/se+ .e- The Cen-re has ma/n-a/ne+ a s-*+/e+ s/)en(e an+ e<(ep- or >era)a h/(h re(en-). or+ere+ a marg/na) re+*(-/on, -he s-a-e 9overnmen-s have no- respon+e+ e/-her ven / -he re)/es +o ma-er/a)/se $TA (ha/rman 7a/-he) ee)s -ha- /- o*)+ ease -he s/-*a-/on on). -emporar/). %a/+ he" =$n -he )ong r*n e (anno- s*rv/ve on -hese props e m*s- or o*- o*r on s-ra-eg.= The -ea groers are no a)) or orm/ng an /n-erna-/ona) pro+*(ers: (ar-e) )/e -he $n-erna-/ona) Co;ee Ergan/sa-/on, h/(h (o*)+ 5< e
28 October 2014
THEI NDI ANTEAPI CKERSSTARVI NG TO DEATH by Sindhu Menon
Theex pl oi t at i onofl abouri nI ndi a’ st eai ndus t r ygoesbac kc ent ur i esbutt henewst hata l mo s t1 00 t eawor k er s i nt heDoo ar sr egi onofWes tBe ngal ha v edi edo v ert hel as t12mont h sbr i ng st h e f eudal c ondi t i onsunderwhi c ht hes ewor k er sar ef or c edt ot oi l i nt os har pf oc us .
T eapi c k er satt heMMJPl ant at i oni nKer al as t andout s i det hei rdi l api dat edoner oom t enement . ( Si ndhuMenon) I ndi ai st hes ec ondl ar ges tt eapr oduc i ngc ount r yi nt hewor l daf t erChi na,andt het eai ndus t r yi s I ndi a’ ss ec ondbi gges templ oy eraf t ert her ai l way s . Ther ear ev ar i oust eagr owi ngar easi nc ount r ybutbot ht hewagesandwor k i ngc ondi t i onsi n Wes tBeng al ’ s300t eaes t at esar eamo ngs tt hewor s t–as i t uat i one x ac er bat edb yt h er ec ent c l os ur eofs i xt eag ar de nswhi c hmadec l os et o10, 000wor k er sj obl es s . So me2 me 00 , 0 00p eop l ewor ki nt e ap l a nt at i on si nWe s tBe ng al ,e ar n i n gp ov e r t ywa ge sofa bo ut9 5 r u pe es( US$ 1. 5 0)ada y . Byl a w,empl o y er smu mus ts uppl ementt hes ei nc r edi bl yl owwageswi t hhous i ng,f ood,educ at i onand medi c al benefi t sbutwhent hepl ant at i onsc l os e,t hes et hi ngsar enol ongerav ai l abl e.
For merwor k er sof t enmi gr at et ofi ndwor kel s ewher e,f r equent l ybec omi ngv i c t i msof f or c edl abourorl abourt r affic ki ng. Ort he ys t a y ,doi ngwhatt he yc ant os ur v i v e–whi c hi swh ys omef or merwor k er sar edy i ngof s t ar v at i onanddi s eas e. T ak et heDek hl apar aT eaEs t at ei nt heDar j eel i ngdi s t r i c tofWes tBengal ,f orex ampl e. Es t abl i s hedi n1921,i thasbeenc l os edont wooc c as i onsov erl as t12y ear sf ol l owi ngwor k er demandsf orbet t erl i v i ngandwor k i ngc ondi t i ons . I tc l os edper manent l ybac ki n2006,r ender i ng603ofi t sper manentwor k f or c ej obl es s . Thecomp mpanyal soowesar oundUS$260, 000i nbackpayandpensi ons. Fr om t hea bandonedt eaes t at e,man y“ ghos twor k e r s ” c ont i nu et opl uc kgr eent eal ea v es s ur r oundedbyc r umbl i ngs t r uc t ur es ,bef or es el l i ngt het eat oagent s .Fort hi s ,t heyear n35r upees ( US$ 0. 5 7)ada y . Ot her sc ol l ec tands el l s andors t onesf r om t henear byr i v er bank sorc ol l ec tfi r ewoodf r om t he near b yf or es t s ,f orwhi c ht he year nabou t40r upees( US$0. 6 5)ada y . Bu tman ys i mpl yha v en ’ tb ee nab l et ofi n dawa yt os ur v i v e . Be t wee n2 013and2014,s ev e npeo pl edi edf r om s t ar v a t i on,mal nut r i t i onan do t herpo v er t y i nduc edi l l nes satDek hl apar a. Th i sJ u l y ,a12 me mb mb ert e am f r om t heRi ghtt oFoodCamp mpai gnal ongwi t hvar i ousNGOsand t r a deun i o ns ,wen to naf a c t fi n di ngmi s s i o nt ofi v eWe Wes tBen gal t e ag ar d en s — Ban —B da pa ni , Dh ek l ap ar a,Re db an k ,Su r e nd r a nag ar ,a ndDh ar a ni p ur . Th efi n di ng swer ec on c l u si v e–an ds h oc k i n g. “ Notal l t hes edeat hswer eduet os t ar v at i on,butt heywer eal l duet oc aus esas soc i at edwi t h c l os ur e—hunger ,mal nut r i t i onanddi s eas es — andt —a hei nabi l i t yt oav ai l ofmedi c al t r eat mentduet o pov er t y , ”s ay sFr ank l y nD’ Souz aoft heI nt er nat i onal Uni onofFood,Agr i c ul t ur al ,Hot el , Res t aur ant ,Cat er i ng,T obac c oandAl l i edWo Wor k er s ’ As s oc i at i ons( I UF) ,whowas ont hemi mi s s i on. Whi l eont hei rf our da yv i s i t ,t hegr oupenc ount er ed12s ev er el yma mal nour i s hedt eapi c k er si nneed ofmedi c al as s i s t anc e.Oneoft h em,23y e ar ol dMu Muk e shGo Goal aoft heBandapani t eagar den, di ed.
Poorr egul at i onandmanageme ment
I f30perc entoft hewor l d’ st eac omesf r om I ndi aandWes tBengal i soneoft hec ount r y ’ smo mos t i mpor t antt eagr o wi ngr egi ons ,wh yha v es oman yb i gt eaes t at es ,whi c hpr oduc eabout65p er c entoft eai nI ndi a,c l os eddown?
“ Themai nr eas onf ort hec l o sur eoft eapl ant at i onsi nWes tBengal i sduet ob admanagement , ” s a y sAs h okGh os h ,Ge ner a lSec r e t a r yofUn i t e dT r a deUni o nCo ngr e s s ,wh i c ho r g ani s e st ea wor k er st hr oughoutt her egi onandhasbeenv er yac t i v ei nt henegot i at i onsf ort eai ndus t r y wages. “ Unl i k et hes i t uat i oni nKer al aandT ami l Nadu,i nWes tBengal andAs s am,bi ges t at esar e go v er nmentl andt a k enonl eas e.Ev e r yma managementi sambi t i ousabou te x pl oi t i ngt hel an da nd mak i ngpr ofi t ,f orwhi c ht heys uppr es st hewor k er s ’ r i ght sands ubj ugat et hem assl av es , ”hes ay s .
Themaj or i t yoft hebi ges t at esar eownedb yi ndi v i dual swhor unt hem asper s onal fi ef doms .I fs el l i ngt eai snol ongerpr ofi t abl e,t heysi mpl ys wi t c ht or eal es t at e. Asonees t at emanagere x pl ai n ed:“ Unl i k es omec er eal s ,t eadoesno th av eafl oorpr i c e.Ther ei s noas s ur anc eofac ons t antpr i c e. ” J .J ohn,al a bourr i ght sex per tandamemberoft h eg ov e r nment i ni t i at edWor k i ngGr oupon Pol i c yFr amewor kf orPl ant at i onLabour ,ac knowl edgest heappar entc ont r adi c t i onoft hei ndus t r y . “ Ononehandweha v eani nc r eas ei nt eapr oduc t i oni nI ndi abuto nt heot herha ndt her eha v e beenagr owi ngnumberofc l os ur esofbi gt eapl ant at i ons , ”hes ay s . “ Smal l t eagr ower s[ s mal ma l f ar mer swi t hpl ot sr angi ngf r om t wot o20hec t ar es ]c ont r i but et omor e t han30perc entoft het eapr oduc edi nI ndi at oda y .I nt hi ssens e,t hepr oduc t i onoft eabysmal l f ar mer shasc ont r i but edt ot hedec l i neoft eapl ant at i ons . ” Howev er ,J ohnadmi t st her ei smo mor et oi tt hant hat . “ Theunder l y i ngf ac t ori st hei ndus t r y wi des epar at i onofagr i c ul t ur al ac t i v i t i es ,t hatpr oduc er aw t eal eav es ,f r om t hec ommer c i al appl i c at i onofpr oc es s edt ea,bec aus et hev al ueac c r uedi s di s pr opor t i onat el yhi ghatt hel at t ers t age, ”J ohnadds . “ Amongot hert hi ngs ,pr ofi tmar gi nsatt hec ommer c i al s t agear epr ot ec t edbyk eepi ngt hepr i c es ofgr eent eal o w ont heoneh and,an dd ec r eas i ngt hec ompens at i ont owor k er sont h eo t her . Ther ef or e,s mal ma l f ar mer sandwor k er sar ei nc ons t antt hr eatofdepr i v at i on. ” An du nd erb ot hmo mo de l s ,wa ge sr e ma ma i nr o c k b ot t o m. m. “ Ex t r emei mpov er i s hmenti sendemi ci nt eaes t at es ,c l os edorot her wi s e, ”s ay sJ ohn.
Eve nwor sef orwome men
T eawor k er sal l ov ert hec ount r yt endt ol i v ei noner oom t enement spr o vi dedb yt heempl o y er , al t houghac commodat i oni s n’ tal wa yspr ov i ded.Thec ondi t i onsar egener al l ys peak i ng,“ pat het i c ” asRanaj i tGuha,Gener al Sec r et ar yofAl l I ndi aT r adeUni onCongr es s ,Wes tBengal put si t . “ Thes q ua l ora ndt her a ms ms h ac k l eh ou s esar ee no ught or e v eal ho wt h ewo r k e r sar eb ei n gt r e at e d byt hema manageme ment , ”headds.
I nKer al a,t hi ngsar en’ tmuc hdi ffer ent .Poi nt i ngt ot hedi l api dat edwal l sofheroner oom s hac k pr ov i dedf orbyMM MMJPl ant at i onsi nVagamon,i nKer al a’ sI duk ki di s t r i c t ,Paz hani ammat el l sEqual Ti mes :“ Api gs t yi sbet t ert hant hi spl ac e.Si xofusst a yher e.Nor epai rwor khasbeendoneev er , andwear es ur ei nt henex tmons oon,i twi l l c ol l aps e. ” Ther ear enos ani t at i onf ac i l i t i es ,whi c hi spar t i c ul ar l ydi ffic ul t–anddanger ous–f orwomen. “ Weus et heo pens pac ef orourdai l yneeds ,s oweha v et ogoei t herear l ymo mor ni ngorwai tf or dar k nes s , ”s a y sMu Mur ugat ha,at eawor k erf r om t hesamees t at e.
I nf ac t ,f emal et eapi c k er s ,whoc ons t i t ut ear ound53perc entoft hewor k f or c e,f ac ea numbero fc hal l enges . ‘ Rol l No.2065’ i showonet eapi c k eri sr ef er r edt oonherwor kdoc ument sf orMMJPl ant at i ons . Butathome,t hi smo mot her of t hr eei ss i mpl yk nownasRugmi ni . Shes t ar t edwor k i ngf ort hepl ant at i onatt heageofni ne.For19y ear sshewasac as ual l abour er . No w,a sap er ma ne nte mp mp l o y e e,t h e4 9y e ar o l dwi d owe ar n sad ai l ywa geo f2 16r u pe es( US$ 3 . 5)wh i c hi smo mo r et h ant wi c et hea v er a gewag ei nWes tBen gal . St i l l ,Rugmi ni ’ sl i f ei sv er yhar d. Shehast or epor tt owor kat7. 50a. m butherei ghthourwor kda ybegi n sman yhour sbef or et hat wi t hanumberofhous ehol dc hor esr angi ngf r om f e t c hi ngwat ert oc ook i ngandc l eani ng. Per s i s t entf e v er ,c ough,bac k ac heandar t hr i t i sar ec ommonamongwor k er s . Func t i oni nges t at esus ual l yhav es omes or tofmedi c al f ac i l i t i esbutonc et heycl os edown,f or mer wor k er shav et ol ookf orpr i v at eheal t hc ar e. “ Wedono tha v ef oodt oe at ,andho wc anwet hi nkofgoi ngt oapr i v at ehos pi t al ?”as k sonet ea wor k er . I nt er msofs ol ut i ons ,t heI ndi ango v er nmentr ec ent l yl aunc hedemer genc yf oodandmedi c al ai d f oraff ec t edt eawor k er s . I naddi t i on,negot i at i onsf oranewsect or almi ni mum wage wi l l begi ni nNov ember( t heex i s t i ng a gr ee men me te x pi r e di nMar c h ) .
Thet eat r adeuni onsi nI ndi aar ec al l i ngf orani nc r eas edwagebuti ti swor t h r eme memb mber i ngt hatmostest at eowner sar enotevenmeet i ngt hemi ni mum wage. Whi l eat t endi ngat eai ndus t r ys t ak ehol der sme meet i ngi nAs sam ear l i ert hi smo mont h,Ni r mal a Si t ar aman,t heSt at eMi ni s t erf orCommer c eandI ndus t r y , hast oas kr emi ndes t at eowner st hat t he yar el egal obl i gedt opa yt hemi ni mum wag et ot het eawor k e r s–andt ha tt hefi nanc i al wor t h ofwor k er sbenefi t ss houl dnotbet ak eni nt oac c ount .
Butei t herwa y ,i twi l l t ak emor et hanr ec ommendat i onsandpr omi s est oens ur er eal c hangef or t hes ev ul ner abl ewor k er s . “ Ther ear eabout31, 00 0oddwor k er sona bout40es t at esi nWe Wes tBengal t hath av ej ob sbutar e s t r uggl i ngwi t houtpr operwages ,medi c al f ac i l i t i es ,pat het i chous i ngordr i nk i ngwat er , ”s ay sChi t t a De y ,c on v eneroft heCo or di nat i onCommi t t eeofT eaPl ant at i onWor k e r s ,ac ongl omer at i onof23 di ffer entt eawor k eruni ons . “ Theuni t edv oi c eoft hewor k er st hr oughmas si v epr ot es t s–t hi si st heonl yopt i onl ef t , ”hes ay s.
Kerala raises tea workers' wages Decision fails to ent)use workers Ieore Gosep) > Mumbai 2ctober 9, 01 Last Last .pdated at 00:14 $#T
T)e Kerala overnment cleared a packae for tea for tea plantation workers on (ednesda+! T)is includes raisin t)e dail+ wae from 5s ; to 5s ;0 and introducin )ealt) insurance for workers! T)e state overnment will also )elp wit) repairs of workers7 3uarters in plantations! T)e decision was based on t)e report b+ a committee, w)ic) was set u p after workers launc)ed aitation across tea plantations in t)e state! However, t)e state overnment7s overnment7s decision failed to ent)use plantation workers, w)o )ave decided to intensif+ t)eir onoin strike! T)e+ are demandin a minimum d ail+ wae of 5s 00! @ollowin @ ollowin t)e state overnment7s decision, Plantation Labour /ommittee "PL/' met in T)iruvanant)apuram! Labour minister #)ibu =ab+ Go)nsuested Go)nsuested awardin an interim relief, but t)e trade unions did not accept it! T)e minister said furt)er action would be taken after consultin c)ief minister 2ommen /)and+! T)e ne&t PL/ meetin is sc)eduled for ovember < as t)e local bod+ election process is on now! = K -it), secretar+, ssociation of Planters of Kerala, told told =usiness #tandard t)at t)e plantation owners were read+ to accept t)e interim relief, but trade unions re-ected! Trade union leaders said t)e+ would start a )uner strike from T)ursda+ onwards in Munnar!
Southern tea industry in dire straits as prices tumble Price falls b+ 1? in t wo +ears, risin input and labour costs s3ueeEe producers marins Dilip Kumar G)a > Mumbai #eptember 10, 01 Last .pdated at at 1A:09 $#T
T)e #out) $ndian tea industr+ finds itself in a fiscal ab+ss, wit) its once* financial strent) severel+ eroded over t)e past two +ears due to a steep fall in prices and a s)arp increase in input cost and labour waes! fter a steep 1!49? fall in 014, tea prices in t)e reion, w)ic) accounts for ? of $ndia7s total production, production, )ave slumped anot)er A? so far t)is calendar +ear to averae at 5s 90!4 per kiloramme! $ndias tea e&ports )ave also declined b+ 4!
Kerala Govt in a fix over plantation wae issue G.K. Nair
plantation worker pluckin tea in an estate in Kerala! T)e tea industr+ is oin t)rou) a crisis wit) low prices forcin some estates to full+ or partiall+ s)ut down t)eir factories!
KOCHI, May 22 THE Kerala Government appears to be in dilemma on the long-term wage settlement or plantation wor!ers, as it "annot antagonise the wor!ers or the managements# $hile admitting the a"t that the plantation ind%stry, espe"ially tea, is in dire straits be"a%se o low pri"es prevailing in the mar!et in re"ent years, a senior labo%r department oi"ial told Business Line that the Government was not in avo%r o ee"ting any "%t in the wages o plantation wor!ers# &%t some !ind o orm%la had to be wor!ed o%t whereby both the ind%stry and the wor!ers wo%ld not have to lose m%"h# &e"a%se o the low pri"es, the ind%stry has been losing heavily and the Government "annot ignore this reality, he added# I the tea plantations "ontin%ed to in"%r losses, they might be or"ed to stop operations# 'lready, some have "losed down their a"tivities in the estates and tea a"tories in the (eer%med% and )andiperiyar areas o Id%!!i distri"t, while many have not been able to pay wages or months# *Only the ma+or "orporates have managed to !eep their operations aloat# %"h a sit%ation "annot be allowed as it wo%ld render tho%sands o wor!ers +obless# The s%rvival o the ind%stry is essential or the s%rvival o the wor!ers#* 't the same time, the demand o the managements to raise the standard o%tp%t might deprive the wor!ers o additional wages# Thereore, a settlement has to be wor!ed o%t s%iting both parties and benei"ial to both# The oi"ial also said that the tate "annot ee"t any "%rtailment o labo%r rights# However, reorms in labo%r laws are being wor!ed o%t !eeping in view the "hanges ta!ing pla"e ollowing the opening %p o the "o%ntrys mar!ets#
.or instan"e, the drat &ill relating to headload wor!ers or amending the Trade Trade /nion '"t wo %ld be presented in the 'ssemblys ne0t session, he said# The settlement rea"hed re"ently between the plantation wor!ers and the managements is a *temporary tr%"e %nder whi"h the ind%stry has agreed to "ontin%e to pay the wages as per Mar"h 1 levels %ntil %rther settlement is rea"hed# Meanwhile, Mr 3# 4harmara+, )i"e (resident 5(lantations6, Harrisons Malayalam 7td and )i"e-Chairman, 'sso"iation o (lanters o Kerala 5'(K6, told Business Line that the to!en prod%"tivity in"rease was agreed %pon at the behest o the 7abo%r Minister in order to pave the way or arriving at a smooth settlement# *This in"rease is ar rom the levels re8%ired to help the ind%strys s%rvival, he added# '""ording to him, the whole iss%e relating to prod%"tivity has to be reviewed# *(rod%"tivity has to "onsiderably in"rease or tea, "oee and r%bber, witho%t whi"h we "annot "ompete in the international mar!et# $e are the high "ost prod%"er and %nless we ma!e a s%bstantial red%"tion in "ost, o%r s%rvival will be in do%bt# Mr 4harmara+ also said that i the ind%stry got a higher standard o%tp%t, it wo%ld red%"e the %nit "ost# *Then we will be able to pay higher rate o rem%neration# $e are also ready or pie"e-rated wor! and ready to enhan"e the payments#* The ind%stry has wor!ed o%t a *good orm%la* by whi"h at least 9: per "ent o the wor!ers wo%ld have an in"rease in their earnings# C%rrently, ;: per "ent o the "ost o prod%"tion is a""o%nted or by wage "ost< hen"e, signii"ant improvement in the prod%"tivity norms was inevitable# The orm%la wor!ed o%t by the planters wo%ld be presented beore the Government and the trade %nions and then dis"%ssed in detail, he said# The wor!ers want to be ed%"ated abo%t the orm%la and the importan"e o higher prod%"tivity, he added#
Plantation workers in Kerala to o on indefinite strike From today, September 28, 2015, the plantation workers in erala will !o on an inde"inite strike demandin! strike demandin! a wa!e hike# $he decision was taken by representati%ess o" %arious trade unions a"ter talks with the &lantation 'abour representati%e (ommittee "ailed )&'(*# $he workers, had earlier launched a nine+day a!itation demandin! s 500 as daily wa!e and a 20- bonus#
(hie" Minister o" erala Oommen (handy, on Sunday, a"ter meetin! representati%ess o" women tea plantation workers said that the state !o%ernment representati%e will not take any decision which can destroy the sector# (handy (handy said said,, "Government will not take any decision which will destroy the plantation sector.. All issues are expected to be sector be resolved resolved at the Plantation Labour Labour Committee meeting convened by the government on September !." .arlier the plantation mana!ements had said that any wa!e hike will drastically a""ect the plantations, plantations, and mi!ht e%en lead to a lock out situation# According to reports, the prices of tea in South India during the calendar year 2014 had dropped by Rs 15.85 per g co!pared to 201", and the prices ha#e further dropped dropped by Rs $.08 per g to reach Rs 80.42 in August, 2015.
/t this uncture, the tea plantations are !oin! throu!h an unprecedente unprecedented d crisis and this a!itation by the workers is considered as one o" the darkest phases o" the tea plantation industry in the country# &lantation workers, currently, recei%e s 22 per day "or 12 hours o" work#
erala accounts "or 4 percent o" total area o" plantation in 3ndia, and accounts "or 2 percent o" net culti%ated area in the state#
3t is now possible that the tea plantation workers a!itation may soon be oined by workers "rom other plantations includin!, rubber, co""ee, co""ee, and cardamom#
Storm in a tea garden SHAR ! "#$$%T ! &RI%T ! T
! spontaneous agitation by a collective of women labourers has thrown Kerala’s plantation sector into disarray, caught its male-dominated trade unions off guard, and focussed public attention on the growing inequalities and gender-related disparities in the sector. By R. KRS!"#K$%#R in &hiruvananthapuram A% agitation demanding higher wages by a spontaneous spontaneous collecti(e of women labourers of the Kanan )e(an )e(an Hills &lantations *K)H&+ company in $unnar has generated a lot of interest in Kerala for its no(elty, the political strength it seemed to muster in -uick time and the .olt it has gi(en to the .aded trade union mo(ement in the State/ (en as political parties were bracing for the upcoming elections to the local bodies on %o(ember 0 and 1, women workers from the tea gardens of Kerala claimed prime2time spots on tele(ision screens, catching e(eryone by surprise/ Their agitation has thrown Kerala3s plantation sector into disarray, caught its male2dominated trade unions off guard and, refreshingly, focussed public attention on the growing ine-ualities and gender2related disparities in the sector/ 4ithin a week, the struggle spread, with trade unions unions that were found wanting initially initially and held at bay by the women too embracing their cause/ %early three lakh plantation workers across the State, the ma.ority of them women, then struck work demanding a re(ision re(ision in their daily wages to Rs/155 and a 05 per cent bonus/ (en by #ctober 6, despite se(eral meetings of the &lantation Labour "ommittee "ommittee *&L"+ con(ened by the go(ernment, the managements refused to budge, claiming that such a hike would kill the already un(iable plantation companies/ The women, under the banner 7&engal #trumai8 *4omen3s 9nity+, soon gained the empathy of the entire State as they launched an indefinite satyagraha at $unnar and chose not to be part of the .oint agitation of trade unions which commenced at the same time literally across the street, on the Kochi2)hanushkodi %ational Highway :;/ The last wage2re(ision agreement in the plantation sector in Kerala had come into effect in $ay 05< unrest grew among the workers/ )e(an management 2n August 00, howe(er, while the workers were all eagerly e?pecting a hike, the Kanan )e(an announced that a general body meeting of the shareholders of the company *which supposedly includes the workers too+ had decided to cut cut the yearly bonus to @/== per cent/ In In 05<=205<:, the company had declared a bonus of <; per cent/ This year, the management management claimed, its profit had come down sharply/ This was the immediate trigger for the agitation/ 4hile the main trade unions sought to pursue routine measures for a solution, for the first time in history, frustrated women workers, increasingly suspicious of the moti(es of the union leaders, launched a go2slow agitation on their own/ It is an indication of how the units of the three main unions at the companythe All India Trade 9nion "ongress *AIT9"+, the Indian %ational Trade 9nion "ongress *I%T9"+ and the "entre of Indian Trade 9nions *"IT9+mis.udged the situation that they sought to chastise the workers .ointly for the go2slow in the estates
during the peak har(est month of September, limiting indi(idual production to the minimum le(el of 0< kg/ The women were in no mood to listen/ According to some of them, the last straw was the officious notice issued .ointly by the three unions reprimanding the workers workers for their actions/ "eed-based unity There are a total of @: administrati(e di(isions in the se(en estates under the K)H& company and eight di(isions in the two other estates directly under the control of the Tatas, the sole owners of all these estates from <;@=, when the 9nited Kingdom2based Bames Cinlay and "ompany sold their shares in the Tata Cinlay .oint (enture to them/ 4omen workers from all the ;0 di(isions chucked their daily routine and marched to the hill hill station of $unnar a need2based unity of )alit women labourers who shared the same history and language, belonged to the same class and caste, and spent their hard daily li(es suffering together in pictures-ue tea gardens from daybreak until nightfall and then in the decrepit 7labour lines8 *residential -uarters pro(ided by the company+/ A leadership emerged from among themLissy Sunny, Domathy, Ra.eswari, Ra.eswari, Bayalaksmi and so onnames onnames that meant nothing to mainstream Kerala until a day earlier but were suddenly on its face, seeking empathy and attention, with their decision to represent themsel(es before the managements and the go(ernment and seek solutions to their festering problems/
2n the face of it, the demands of the women workers may seem mundane, no different from the routine salary negotiations that the trade unions engage in on their behalf before the managements e(ery year/ Eut the simple demand has many facets to it when it is raised by a so2far silent, marginalised community of )alit women workers, bound together by the common thread of e(eryday misery, harsh working and li(ing conditions, conditions, (e?ed labour relations and a long history of class, caste and gender discrimination/ They shocked the State with the spontaneity of their outburst, broke free from the constraints of the male2dominated unions, and took to the streets and imposed themsel(es on the meeting (enues at the Secretariat in Thiru(ananthapuram/ It was e(ident that their protest was really against the unchanging e(eryday circumstances that were imposed on them not .ust by immediate circumstances but, historically too, as inheritors of a tradition of o(er a century or more of bondage, ser(itude and suffering/ Their lot has worsened in the past two decades, with the price of tea and its e?ports plummeting and a crisis engulfing the industry/ Since <;;@, se(eral hill district estates in Kerala ha(e closed down and hundreds of workers ha(e lost their .obs/ 'articipatory management scheme The Kanan )e(an Hill &lantations "ompany Ltd itself was born as an offshoot of the decision by Tata Tea to withdraw from its plantation operations in $unnar *an association which began began in <;F: through its alliance with the tea giant and then owner owner of the plantations, Bames Cinlay and "ompany+ "ompany+ about a decade earlier/ In 0551, Tata Tea *now Tata Dlobal Ee(erages, the world3s second largest tea company+ announced it was selling its $unnar plantations to the employees through an employee buyout and participatory management scheme/ %early <=,555 employees supposedly became *minor+ 7shareholders8 of the new company, with a semblance of representation on the director board/ The Tatas still owned 0@/10 per cent of the shares *nearly ; per cent more was .ointly owned by the Tatas Tatas 4elfare Trust and the K)H&"L+ and retained the right to buy a share of the tea produced by the company at reduced rates/ It also had the clout to decide the price of tea at the local auction market/ Thus, as it released itself from the responsibility of running the plantations after decades of ownership, promising 7long2term economic sustainability and better li(ing conditions for its workers8, it had protected its own interests well/ Eut what the so2called 7employee buyout and participatory management scheme8 did for the workers has become painfully e(ident within a decade, with the women workers launching their agitation/
ccording to se(eral accounts, a large section of the estate workers are descendants of the sla(e labourers brought by the Eritish *right from the mid2<;th century when the first Eritish owner, Bohn )aniel $anro, ac-uired 1@@ acres *an acre is 5/: hectare+ in $unnar with permission from the mahara.ah of &oon.ar+ from Tamil %adu to work in the early plantations at $unnar/ $ost of them belong to the Scheduled "astes such as
&allar, &arayar and "hakkiliar/ *Local workers from Kerala ha(e always been only a small percentage of the estate workforce/+ Crom (ery early days, management policies had been tuned to keep these labourers tethered to the estates and the labour lines/ Laws to pre(ent them from going in search of other .obs or from shifting from one estate to the other were all a means to this end/ (en after the abolishing of sla(ery, their conditions more or less remained unchanged> or soon they succumbed to new forms of 7sla(ery8/ (hanged living conditions Howe(er, a dramatic transformation in their employment and li(ing conditions and the lot of legal rights that these plantation workers en.oy today happened, no doubt, because of the in(ol(ement of trade unions in the plantation sector in Kerala/ Eut complacency has set in, there are often allegations against indi(idual union leaders of corruption and being hand in glo(e with the management, and a growing sense that the unions are losing their Geal and are, increasingly, a mere cog in the wheel/ &lucking tea lea(es is a labour2intensi(e, time2consuming affair, but women *who constitute 65 per cent of the workers in the tea estates+ ha(e been traditionally engaged in it partly because they are more de?trous in the handling of the lea(es, while the men are assigned other .obs such as remo(ing weeds, spraying pesticides and applying fertiliGers/ 4ork is supposed to start at eight in the morning and end by fi(e, but in(ariably in(ariably longer hours are the norm, especially during the har(esting season, because a graded incenti(e system offers these women a pittance more for e(ery kg that they collect abo(e the minimum of 0< kg a day/ It is a tedious affair and they ha(e to climb up and down the steep slopes with baskets that weigh them down, bra(ing the cold and heat, wild insects and animals/ $ost of them ha(e health issues as a result/ They lea(e behind their children and worry constantly about their safety, education and well2being/ In the past few decades, with the plantation industry facing one crisis after another, a large number of men ha(e sought more paying .obs outside the estates, as ta?i dri(ers or sundry workers in the tourism sector/ Resorts and hotels ha(e been sprouting at e(ery corner in $unnar/ Eut the women are forced to stay in their estate .obs so as to retain the right for the family to li(e in the old, two2room shacks that the company had set apart for those on its rolls/ The decrepit residential -uarters are often too crowded with many micro families sharing them/ $ost of them ha(e no land or home of their own, or any other a(enue to make an e?tra income/
munnar3s estate workers maintain close ties with their ancestral (illages in Tamil %adu through marriages and participation in festi(als and so on, but those links too are nowadays becoming tenuous/ 4hile a few decades earlier a .ob in the tea gardens in Kerala was a sign of prestige, today it is a sign of hardship/ Crom the perspecti(e of many of these workers, while life in the estates and the residential lines has remained more or less the same, the rest of the world has mo(ed forward/ &hysical, cultural and social landscapes all around them are changing fast, e(en in their own (illages, offering opportunities for the rich and the educated/ (idently, no agency, be it the male2dominated unions, the go(ernment or the company management, had thus far bothered to look closely at the precarious daily uni(erse of these women workers as they struggle to keep pace/ That is why, before it could blink, Kerala witnessed the birth of a new women3s mo(ement and the emergence of a group of unsophisticated but e?tremely focussed leaders from among themwomen from the margins who stand boldly before tele(ision cameras and say 7nough is enough/ 4e will speak for oursel(es/ 4e ha(e lost faith in the trade unions/ unions/ 4e will form our own union/ 4e want to represent oursel(es in the &lantation Labour "ommittee meetings/ 4e would rather die than go back on our demands/8 At least initially, their common grie(ances ha(e kept them together and their fledgling fledgling mo(ement holds great promise as a gender2sensiti(e catalytic agent in the plantation sector/ Respect for them has grown as they mark their friends and foes from among the State3s politicians, keep the trade unions at a safe distance, interact
directly with the $inisters, and openly rebuke mischie(ous elements from across the State3s borders who try to portray them as a mo(ement of a disgruntled linguistic minority/ #n #ctober 6, at yet another meeting of the &L" in Thiru(ananthapuram, as the managements once again re.ected their demands and the conciliatory suggestions of the go(ernment, the women workers and the trade unions announced their resol(e to intensify their struggle/ Eut a long2pending go(ernment 7package8 offering medical insurance premiums, better facilities at the residential lines, including e?tension of buildings, and upgradation of schools, health and transport facilities has reportedly been appro(ed by the "abinet to be implemented after the local body elections/ 4hat does the future hold for 7&engal #trumai8 4ill they be able able to go the whole hog now that they ha(e stirred well2entrenched interests that were pulling their lot down 4ill their historic women2only struggle ha(e a lasting impact on the trade union mo(ement in Kerala $any -uestions remain unanswered as they resol(e yet again to stay together and seek a better life/ life/
"ro#uction cost $s% &0, auction price $s% '( 's tea estates are "losing down, =:,::: plantation wor!ers in Kerala a"e +oblessness# M %"hitra and M ( &asheer report rom (eermade# 01 )ay 2003 * elankanni was !ood at her studies and she had no plans to become a tea estate worker like her parents# $he ninth+class student o" the 6o%ernment 7i!h School at a!amon pursued her studies seriously with dreams o" securin! a salaried ob and relie%in! her "amily o" its debt burden# 7er parents still recall that many times they had told her to uit her studies, a"ter they lost their obs in a tea estate o" am 9ahadoor $a!ore $a!ore $ea (ompany three years a!o# :;e could not buy books or school uni"orm "or her# She had borrowed a set o" uni"orms "rom a classmate who li%ed in our nei!hbourhood# One day that too wore out, and her classmates made "un o" her,: says elankanny:s mother Mariyammal# ;hat she does not add is that the same e%enin!, the youn! elankanni ended her li"e by han!in! hersel" "rom the roo" o" their tiny cotta!e inside the estate# $he 14+year+old elank elankanni:s anni:s is the "ourth suicide in the past si< months in tea estates o" &eerumade taluk, the lar!est tea production production centre in South 3ndia# /nd the 54+year+old Mariyammal and her husband are amon! the 0,000 plus plantation workers in erala who are in the !rip o" star%ation "ollowin! the closin! down o" se%eral small and medium tea companies due to sharp "all in the prices o" tea in the international market# erala has o%er a million people dependin! on tea plantations "or their li%in!# Out o" 2 tea "actories "unctionin! in &eermade taluk, 18 ha%e been closed down and 1 tea estates ha%e been abandoned by their owners lea%in! around 0,000 people obless in 7i!h an!es alone# $he situation has reached such a critical sta!e that most o" the companies are not in a position to pay the prescribed wa!es, apart "rom meetin! other obli!ations obli!ations as per ser%ice rules# $here are plantations that ha%e not paid wa!e arrears and ha%e di%erted the wel"are "unds o" the workers into their operations in a desperate bid to stay a"loat# 3n &eerumade taluk alone, employees ha%e to recei%e s# 100 crores as pendin! wa!es# :3 ha%e to !et s# 22,000 "rom my company as my wa!e arrears# $here are many others like me who are yet to recei%e the wa!e arrears,: says Sel%ara, 2, a worker o" the (heenthilar "irst di%ision di%ision o" &eermade $ea $ea (ompany# :$here :$here are around "our hundred "amilies and 2000 people in this di%ision alone# For !enerations we ha%e been workin! here# ;e ha%e no other place to !o and none o" us know any other ob than the estate work,: adds Sel%ara:s "ellow worker aan# /s estates started closin! down one a"ter another, a number o" men ha%e already mi!rated to distant cities to try their luck as casual labourers# Many women ha%e e%en turned to prostitution with with the consent o" their their husbands husbands to make make both ends meet, as alternat alternati%e i%e employment employment is una%ailable in the locality# :My dau!hter had run away some months a!o# For months we had no news about her# / "ew days back she turned up and !a%e us s1000# She told us that she had !ot a ob in the city# city# ;e ;e don:t know know what eispensaries which were "unctionin! inside the estates are now closed down# Fi%e persons, includin! a se%en+month+ old child ha%e died in last si< months without proper medical care# :My "ather was sick and was bein! treated in the dispensary inside the estate# ;hen the estate was abandoned the dispensary stopped "unctionin!# /"ter that, my "ather didn:t !et any treatment and died three months back,: says (hristhu a, 1?, son o" ar!hese who was an employee in the &eermade $ea (ompany that had been closed "or three years# 7is "amily couldn:t a""ord to take him to hospitals in cities# $hey ha%e to walk around 20 kms to reach outside the estate# @ntil the ;$O re!ime be!an, plantation products "rom erala "ound e
Surplus production and reductions in tari"" barriers are said to be the main reasons "or the present crisis in the tea !ardens in the state# &rices o" most plantation plantation products + tea, co""ee co""ee and rubber + in in both domestic domestic and international international markets markets ha%e been witnessin! witnessin! a steady steady decline o%er the the years# $ea $ea is the worst worst hit with the price well below the cost o" production# $he a%era!e auction price o" the tea at present is s# 4 per k! a!ainst the cost o" production o" s# 0 per k!# :$his is a market+dri%en humanitarian crisis# 3t is the result o" the wron! policy initiati%es o" the (entral 6o%ernment under !lobaliAation a!enda,: points out out (# S aan# erala:s labour minister 9abu >i%akaran also blames the ;$O# :$ea industry the world o%er has plun!ed into a crisis owin! to !lobaliAation policies# / small state like erala is incapable o" sol%in! the issue sin!ularly# ;e are pleadin! our case with the (entre,: says >i%akaran# $he tea !rowers associations in the state ha%e called upon the !o%ernment and the trade unions to ointly e%ol%e strate!ies to rescue the closed tea "actories and to sol%e the crisis# $hey ar!ue that in the "ree import scenario, any "urther escalation in wa!es without correspondin! increases in producti%ity would spell doom "or the industry# $he trade union leaders belie%e that slashin! wa!es is a part o" an attempt by the planters to use the crisis to e
Features and Footage * ) *uchitra an# ) " +asheer 01 )ay 2003
As/a'Pa(/5( , +/-ors: Cho/(e, 6ea-*re+, 9en+er, ?ea+)/nes, abo*r, Pover-. %D9s, T Terra8/va erra8/va Un/-e+ Un/-e+ Na-/ons, omen (onom., omen /n Po)/-/(s
7Basmine Re(olution8 "hallenges $ale )omination of Tea Trade 9nions hiruvananthapuram puram India !ov "# $%"& 'IPS( * .ntil #eptember t)is +ear, Lissie #unn+ was not a name known to t)e $ndian Thiruvanantha public! ll of t)is c)aned w)en t)is lean and dark woman, workin for over a 3uarter centur+ pluckin tea leaves in t)e mist+ mountain slopes of sout)ern $ndia finall+ )ad enou) and took on one of t)e most powerful tea companies in t)e world!
T)e 4A*+ear*old tea labourer in t)e $dukki district of t)e sout)ern state of Kerala, alon wit) 8,000 ot)er ill* educated women labourers )eld protests as t)e+ said t)e+ )ad been e&ploited for +ears and were now read+ for t)eir ri)ts! T)e male labour union leaders were put on notice t)e )istor+ of male*dominated national t rade union politics e&cludin women was about to c)ane! (eeks of protests led b+ Lissie at t)e Kanan Devan Hills Plantations, controlled b+ t)e $ndian multinational Tata, Tata, w)ic) )ad clamped down on not onl+ t)e rowin unrest due to e&ploitation of women workers for +ears but also t)e ender*based discrimination in t)e tea sector! Lissie wit) vast support, )elped form t)e .nit+ of (omen, popularl+ known as Pompilai 2rumai "P2' and notc)ed up anot)er victor+ b+ winnin t)ree seats in local self*overnment elections )eld recentl+! Lissie #unn+ was t)en formall+ elected as t)e president of P2 and said t)at t)ou) t)e e&traordinar+ rebellion was initiall+ aainst t)e union7s decision to cut t)e bonus paid to tea pickers but t)e actual revolt )as deeper roots! 6T)e unions )ave been c)eatin workers for enerations! T)e+ )ave a mutual tie*up wit) t)e tea compan+ manaements! T)e leaders lead a flambo+ant life et free compan+ )ouses to live in! T)eir c)ildren et ood education and -obs t)anks to t)e plantation owners, s)e said! T)e labour*intensive tea industr+ is notorious for low waes and e&ploitation! (orkers et ;; rupees, nearl+ ;!0 dollars, per da+ w)ic) starts from 9 M and carries on until dark! 6T)is is )alf of w)at a dail+ wae labourer in Kerala ets! (omen workers live in sub*)uman conditions, sta+ in one*bed )uts wit)out toilets and ot)er basic amenities, s)e told $P#! T)e women workers accuse t)e male trade union leaders of inorin t)e ri)ts and benefits of women workers w)ile ensurin ood positions and financial benefits for t)eir relatives and dependants! Meenu mmal, an illiterate worker, said t)at a trade union mafia controls tea plantations and takes )ue amounts of mone+ from owners in t)e uise of labourers7 welfare! 6Most of t)e male workers are misusin t)eir earnins w)ile disreardin c)ildren7s education and medical needs of families! .nions )ave done not)in to stop men from drinkin li3uor! lso, lso, leaders alwa+s manaed to keep t)eir -obs w)en some owners abandoned t)eir plantations followin t)e collapse of tea prices a few +ears back, s)e said! 5i)t activists named t )e Munnar mobilisation as t)e Gasmine 5evolution7 in $ndia7s plantation sector, w)ic) still suffers from a colonial )anover, and said t)at it reflected a stron undercurrent of unit+ amon women to fi)t aainst t)e )i)*)andedness of men in women* dominated work sectors! K! #a)adevan, a well known national )uman ri)ts activist from Kerala, told $P# t)at a new trend is formin amon women in t)e countr+ to come forward for better waes and ensurin ot)er ri)ts of female workers! 6T)ere )ave been a series of strikes led b+ females in recent times for women! Mainstream trade unions were not involved in t)ese! Most of t)ese strules were successful followin innovative mobilisation strateies and support from outside t)e traditional union circles! (omen are losin fait) in union leaders sponsored b+ political parties, )e pointed out! 5esearc)ers in ender studies sa+ t)at t)e rebellion of t)e women workers needs to be studied closel+ wit) t)e status of women in Kerala w)ere development indices like literac+ are ver+ )i) w)ile compared wit) wom en elsew)ere in t)e countr+! Dr! #reelek)a air, an independent researc)er in women7s studies in T)iruvanant)apuram, said t)e tea workers7 strike is a landmark strule t)at needs to be reconised for its ender aspect!
6T)e uprisin is onl+ an indication of t)e women workforce comin into t)eir own to fi)t for t)eir ri)ts! $t is true t)at a space e&ists in Kerala for t)e united workforce to strike! T)is space was created b+ t)e lon establis)ed trade union culture and a kind of proressive outlook towards workers! nd w)en t)is space is claimed b+ a roup t)at is overw)elminl+ ender*based, it kind of s)ocks t)e establis)ment and t)e e&istin mac)iner+ t)at deals wit) strikes! T)at is w)+ t)e overnment mac)iner+ t)en )as to o into overdrive to find a new7 wa+ to deal wit) it, s)e e&plained! 2bservers in ew Del)i point out t)at t)e unprecedented female rebellion at Munnar )as baffled bot) trade unions and various manaement teams in t)e countr+ and )as evoked keen interest amon tea workers in ssam, (est =enal, Tamil adu and Karnataka! Dr! #iva Prasad, an e&pert in labour laws, s aid t)e establis)ed unions in t)e countr+ are led b+ males w)o are not bot)erin about t)e women workers eit)er in t)e oraniEed or unoraniEed sectors! 6T)e unoranised labourers are ettin low waes and work on deplorable terms and conditions! T)e lesson from t)e strike teac)es t)at a united strule for ri)ts would benefit women at lare, and female workers could not be easil+ bluffed b+ politicall+*backed union leaders, )e told $P#!
The 4oman 4orker Re2emerges J Lessons from $unnar SEPTEMBER 15, 2015
women tea tags: Kannan )e(an &lantations , $unnar, trade unionism in Kerala , women plantation workers , women workers by .de(ika by .de(ika
Cor once, the praise of the mainstream media in Kerala does not sound like empt em pty y hy hype perb rbol olee or si sick cken enin ing g sy syco coph phan ancy cy// %ore tha han n si) th thou ousa sand nd women wor*ers were on stri*e in th thee Ka Kann nnan an )e )e(a (an n te tea a es esta tate tess of $unnar in defiance of their trade union leaders, seeking higher wages and e-ual wages with men workers who are paid more though their work is lighter and alleging that the trade union leaders were pocketing benefits due to them/ &h &he e wo wor* r*er ers s re rece ceiv ive e ve very ry lo low w wa wage ges s an and d li live ve un unde der r tr trul uly y despicable conditions not far removed from colonial conditions de desp spit itee th thee fa fact ct th that at th thee Ka Kann nnan an )e )e(a (an n &l &lan anta tati tion onss in no now w technically under the workers who own si?ty per cent of the shares/ The blather about losses in the tea industry conceals the enormous control o(er land that the Tatas hold for a tri(ial sum paid to the go(ernment/ It also deflects attention from the serious charges of encroachment made against the Tatas, which our political class has not pursued much/ 4hile the usual patriarchal tactics of delegiti delegitimisation misation the accusation of +%ao aois istt infl flu uen enc ce’ or som ome e ot othe her r fo forc rce e +b +beh ehin ind d’ the st str ri* i*iing wor*ers wor*ers was indeed made in the early days of the strike, it is clear that now there is a genuine sense of wonder in much of mainstream media3s reaction to the massi(e show of independence and strength by the women workers of the tea te a pl plan anta tati tion onss at $u $unn nnar ar,, an and d th thee ga gain inss th they ey ha ha(e (e ma made de// Th Thee ut utte terl rly y patriarchal trade union leadership in Kerala has been rightly shamed when the women pro(ed that they did not need them at all to mobiliGe and press for their demands/ Indeed, this is a key message women ha(e often constituted o(erwh o(e rwhelm elmin ing g ma ma.or .oriti ities es in Ke Keral rala3s a3s pow power er tra trade de uni unions ons,, esp especi eciall ally y in the trad tr adit itio iona nall in indu dust stri ries es bu butt ha ha(e (e ne ne(e (err be been en a fo forc rcee in th thee le lead ader ersh ship ip or consulted seriously in shaping the union3s priorities or policies/ The $unnar struggle thus falls like a thunderous slap on the cheek on Kerala3s highly patriarchal history of trade unionism/ It also brings to light one of Kerala3s most depri(ed de(elopment minorities the plantation workers who ha(e been neglecte neglected d mainly because they are of Tamil2origin Tamil2origin,, mostly lower2caste and to a certain e?tent, spatially confined/
Curther, it allows us a chance to reflect on the manner in which mainstream de(elopment and politics shut its eyes to the reality of women labourers in Kerala who were e(er2more o(erworked and underpaid, in not .ust the older labour regimes but the new ones too/ The gender of the workers in the new industries was hardly noticed e(en/ I still remember how a sincere and hard2 working young student who wanted to study labour regimes in Kerala came to me some si? or se(en years back/8Dender is going to be important,8 I told her/ She shook her head in agreement politely, but it was clear to me that it wasn3t ob(ious to her at all/ After a few months in which she toured her field, she returned and told me that gender was, indeed, absolutely central to her work the workers she met in the new post2liberaliGation workplaces were largely low2 lo w2pa paid id,, o( o(er erwo work rked ed wo wome men, n, an and d wo wome men n wh who o we were re un unfa fami mili liar ar wi with th or distrusting of, trade unions and unionisation/ Labouring women were almost completely in(isibilised in post2<;;5 Kerala, and in their place, the acti(e woman recipient of welfare 2the SHD 4oman J was endlessly discussed/ %eoliberal welfare stressed economic security for women through self2help, and the -uestion of e-ual pay for e-ual work, e-uality and fairness in working conditions, and many other such socialist femi fe mini nist st sl slog ogan anss se seem emed ed ab aban ando done ned d in th thee al all2 l2ro rou und en enth thus usia iasm sm fo forr promoting self2help 2to such an e?tent that women3s self2e?ploitation when it happened in go(ernance labour and microenterprise was o(erlooked/ The work that women did with the panchayats J which ought to ha(e been counted as go(e go (ern rnan ance ce an and d pr pro( o(is isio ioni ning ng la labo bour ur J re rema main ined ed in in(i (isi sibl blee to e( e(er ery yon onee including politicians and de(elopment bureaucrats/ I can3t help remembering how irritated many of them were when in 055@ I reported the findings from fieldwork in 055F26, about how Kudumabshree women were being used as poorly2paid go(ernance and pro(isioning labour/ This was percei(ed as an attack on the Kudumbashree/4omen workers began to fade out as the figure of the self2employed woman grew began to be etched in the public imagination as epitomising the bold public woman/ This hid the fact that the di(iding line between the woman worker and the woman recipient of welfare was actually -uite fluid and that the Kudumbashree woman was indeed engaged in newer forms of labour go(ernance labour and pro(isioning labour besides care work and producti(e labour that were in(isible and underpaid/ Indeed, many senior organiGers of the state2supported Kudumbashree self2help group network, who had entered and gained e?perience in public life as trade union workers, seemed to ha(e forgotten all of their past and attributed their knowledge and self2confidence to Kudumbashree/
&erhaps that said something about the woeful little space that the trade unions ha(e granted women workers, e(en as it re(ealed the ideological efficacy of self2help campaigns/ Indeed the shameful responses of the local trade union leaders, all men, about the women3s struggle at $unnar there does is e(idence/ Eut sooner or later, the kind of desperation and determination that we saw in the struggle at $unnar will surface elsewhere for sure, and the trade unions better prepare for the ine(itable/ The women workers said that they aim at forming an all2women trade union/ And in their struggle they were supported by all kinds kinds of people, people, including policemen/ Howe(er, when decisi(e institutional change allowed the the redoing of the relation between the Kudumbashree and the panchayats in 055@, some of the Kudumbashree women challenged their e?ploitation by rising to becoming local leaders J not uni(ersally, for sure, but in pockets, definitely 2they were criticised as mo(ing away from li(elihood acti(ities into showy public life, and of being arrogant3 and politically ambitious3/ And they were clearly confined to gender identities by political parties which sought to organise them women in self help groups were organised not as workers but as women3, under the AI)4A/ This is despite the fact that Kudumbashree Kudumbashree women ha(e been open to embracing the identity of the worker, as was e(ident in a number of instances in which they did organise as Kudumbashree workers3 *in the Thiru(ananthapuram city sanitation issue, for instance+/ The $unnar women workers3 struggle indicates that while poor women and their interests cannot be reduced to the poor in general and their interests, the latter today is unimaginable without the former/ #r, one cannot really appeal to the poor and the oppressed in Kerala without appealing to women/ It is surely not a coincidence that the struggle against predatory capital and the destruction of common resources through ecological and other struggles here are often initiated by women e(en if they are taken o(er later by men/ And it is not for the first time that women ha(e distrusted men and the male leadership in struggles that they took a lead in J I remember acti(ists who were part of the anti2sand mining struggle around the $uriyad lake telling me how the women there were unwilling to hand o(er the struggle to a male leadership because they feared that the men would enter into agreemen agreements ts that suited them and the leadership and forget all about the issue at the heart of their struggle/ 4hile this struggle does not open directly an opportunity to end the confli con flict ct be betwe tween en pla planta ntati tion on wo worke rkers rs an and d the la landl ndless ess poo poorr we ha( ha(ee bee been n witnessing witnessi ng in twenty2firs twenty2firstt century Kerala, it certainly allows for a reconsideration of the assumed gap between them/ This struggle shows the e?te e? tent nt to wh whic ich h pl plan anta tati tion on la labo bour ur e? e?pe peri rien ence ce e? e?tr trem emee de depr pri( i(at atio ion, n, an
e?perience shared by the landless poor in the face of the fact that big capital that controls plantations has in its hands (ery e?tensi(e go(ernment lands, which it holds at almost no cost/ It appears clear, then, that the plantatio plantation n labour may find it better to build alliances with the landless poor than ser(e big capital, howe(er indirectly indirectly,, through their hostility towards encroachmment3 by the latter/ &erhaps women workers will see this better than the men The formation of women3s trade unions here S4A Kerala and &enkoottu indicates a trend/ Eut e(en after the $unnar struggle, it appears that women will not be part of formal negotia negotiations tions with the go(ernment and outcomes are not certain despite all the celebrations/ Eut the writing on the wall is clear for anyone who has the eyes to see/ And dare I hope a little more, that these plant pl antati ation on wo worke rkers rs wil willl tra transf nsform orm the themse msel(e l(ess int into o a pe peop ople3 le3ss mo( mo(eme ement, nt, allying with the landless poor in Kerala and infuse new life into the nearly2 dead the politics of welfare by reinterpreting the politics of public action
Trade union leaders work for themsel(es, not for worker welfare3 K&$ EASHR "#$$%T ! &RI%T ! T
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A -uarter century century of plucking tender tea lea(es in the misty mountain mountain slopes of $unnar $unnar has left left her hands wrinkled, wrinkled, skin leathery and face weather2beaten/ She is lean and dark> and, at :6, looks older than her age/ Eut, Lissie Sunny3s smile is confident and her (oice clear/ There is a -uiet dignity about her manners/ She is the public face of the recent .asmine re(olution3 in the tea gardens/ In September, Sunny and other women workers at the Tata2controlled Kanan )e(an Tea "ompany led a re(olt that sent shock wa(es among members of the trade union mafia3 that controls $unnar3s tea plantations/ In an unprece2 dented act that baffled both trade unions and the management, thousands of women tea2leaf pluckers led a successful nine2day nine2day strike for a higher bonus/ The strike recei(ed wide support from mainstream Kerala society and e(oked keen interest among tea workers in Assam, Assam, )ar.eeling, )ar.eeling, Tamil %adu %adu and Karnataka/ Karnataka/ Its success success is seen as re.ection of the the trade unions and the political class/ $any saw in it the emergence of a new trade union culture and a hope for plantation workers across the country/ In an inter(iew to BusinessLine, Sunny, who has .ust been formally elected &resident of the women tea workers3 organisation &ompilai #rumai, talks about the treachery and e?ploitation3 of the trade unions and also about the #rumai3s decision to contest the %o(ember 1 local body elections/ #re you planning planning to launch launch a formal trade trade union Nes, we will get registered registered as a trade union within within a month/ A formal union is necessary to get get us access to the negotiations negotiations between the plantation plantation managements managements and the labour labour unions where where others take decisions decisions on our work work and wages/ wages/ )uring the <62 <62 day strike by the .oint council of recognised trade unions, which we also supported later on, we were not e(en in(ited to the si? rounds of talks talks called by the go(ernment/ go(ernment/ These unions unions had gone gone on strike demanding demanding a daily daily wage of ₹155 *for workers of tea, tea, rubber and cardamom plantations+/ plantations+/ Eut finally, finally, at the negotiations, negotiations, they agreed for .ust ₹=5< *for tea workers+ workers+ without e(en consulting us/ This was outright treachery/ The go(ernment, the plantations managements managements and the unions colluded to cheat us/ The unions also agreed to raise the minimum -uantum -uantum of tea lea(es to be picked from 0< kg to 01 kg/
ou seem to be be e)tremely angry angry with the recognised recognised trade unions. unions. /hy These unions ha(e been cheating us workers for generations/ They ha(e a mutual2help relationship with the Kanan )e(an management/ The leaders lead a cosy life> get free company houses to li(e in> their children study at the company school and also get nice .obs in the company/ The company has gi(en some =5 houses to the leaders of the AIT9" *the ma.ority union+ union+ and I%T9", while we workers li(e in dilapidated one2room labour -uarters/ -uarters/ The company claims it gi(es e(erything free to workers, but the fact is we ha(e to pay/ #ur #ur strike was not not only against the Kanan Kanan )e(an company, but also also against the unions/ unions/ )uring )uring wage negotiation negotiation meetings, the union union leaders would would agree to paltry raises/ raises/ They get get se(eral benefits in return for compromising compromising on wages and workers3 welfare/ our stri*e stri*e is a historical one one in Kerala’s highly highly unionised wor* wor* culture. !ow !ow did it begin begin It was a spontaneous agitation/ 4e were told that this year the bonus would be lower than last year3s and we knew that the trade unions would agree to it/ Nou know, for a woman tea worker, the bonus is such an important thing/ She plans one year in ad(ance what to buy, and what loans to be repaid, with the bonus money/ 4hen she is told that the bonus would be a half the anticipated -uantum, -uantum, it upsets her totally/ 4e decided that come what may, we would strike work for a bonus of 05 per cent/ #n the first day, there were (ery few people ready to t o strike/ Eut from day two, thousands of women workers, risking e(erything, including their husbands3 husbands3 ire and .oined us on the street/ They had passion, anger, grief/ !ow did the unions react They were totally ner(ous/ They were afraid that they would lose t heir rele(ance/ They threatened us, assaulted us, harassed us, blockaded us, us, and e(en asked asked the shops in $unnar $unnar town not to gi(e gi(e pro(isions to the striking workers/ workers/ They threatened threatened the workers3 husbands/ husbands/ Eut, the entire entire Kerala society society stood by us/ us/ And, when our our bonus strike strike succeeded, the unions, unions, in order order to show their dominance, dominance, came together together to launch an indefinite indefinite strike strike to demand ₹ 155 as daily wage/ wage/ /hat is the lesson from the 'ompilai 'ompilai 0rumai 0rumai stri*e That workers should unite for their rights/ 4e achie(ed a lot with our strike/ It ga(e us confidence, it empowered us/ (en the wage hike is the the after2effect of our strike strike for bonus/ bonus/ 4e called the bluff bluff of these politically2backed politically2backed trade unions/ unions/ Trade Trade union leaders are only interested in their own welfare, not of ours/ /hy is 0rumai 0rumai contesting the local body polls polls &ompilai #rumai has put up independent candidates in fi(e Dram &anchayats in $unnar/ If we win, we will do our best to secure all go(ernment benefits for the tea workers3 community
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Th e‘ Pompi l a iOr umai , ’ i npr o t e stag ai n stt hes y st em o fg en ders egr ega t i o np r a c t i s edi nt h ep l ant at i ons ,k ep ta tb a yno tonl yt hema l et r ad e u ni onl ead er s ,butal s ot heme meni nt h ei ro wnf a mi mi l ydur i ngt h es t r u ggl e .Ph ot o.K.K.Mus t af ah -"./*
ndia Kerala
The historic women workers3 protests that rocked the plantations in Kerala for the last one2and2a2half months, followed closely by a State2wide State2wide struggle, ha(e been been called off, following following what could at at best be described described as a mi?ed mi?ed outcome from the point point of (iew of the workers/ workers/ The plantation managements managements may may consider this this as another (ictory, (ictory, the workers agreeing agreeing to be content content with a =5 per cent hike in wages as against their original demand for a <55 per cent increase/ Net, the struggle has been path2breaking in that it has helped bring to light the harsh li(ing and working conditions in the colonial2era plantations/ plantations/ It has also e?posed the
state, the trade unions and the plantation industry, industry, the first two for their political absence in the region and the third for its e?ploitati(e practices/ Though the struggle is o(er, it does not signify a permanent redress of t he workers3 grie(ances/ It was on September 1 that the women workers, united under the women3s collecti(e that they ha(e named &ombilai #rumai3, began marching marching in small groups groups to the head-uarters head-uarters of the Kanan )e(an Hills &lantations &lantations Limited Limited *K)H&+ in $unnar, Kerala, Kerala, challenging their own trade unions and simultaneously demanding demanding a fair increase in their t heir wages and bonus payments/ It -uickly turned into a resistance mo(ement without a precedent, with thousands of )alit women breaking away from their trade unions, .oining the struggle, struggle, and representing representing themsel(es in a bold rebellion rebellion against against capitalism and patriarchy, including including a male2 male2 dominated trade union structure/ The struggle, though initially ignored by the media, captured public attention when the women workers gheraoed the K)H& managing director, and later stopped the local "&I *$+ $LA from meeting the striking workers/ It triumphed, though only partially, when the managements agreed to a 05 per cent package, including @/== per cent bonus and < it has also fielded candidates in the local go(ernment elections to be held in early %o(ember/ The struggle also reminds us that e(en within t he laudable Kerala model of social de(elopment, the )alit e?perience lea(es much to be desired/ )alit )alit families ha(e ha(e li(ed in two2room two2room tenements *layams+ *layams+ for generations generations and their conditions conditions do not not reflect the much2applauded social welfare indicators of the State/ 4hat we ha(e been been witnessing in plantations in the post2<;;< liberalisation liberalisation phase phase is a repetition of history history with the burden burden being repeatedly transferred to workers and the prosperity being solely en.oyed by the managements managements// The workers ha(e thus remained trapped in the global commodity chain for decades/ There has also been a gradual remo(al of their rights/ %either the state nor the trade unions seem politically e-uipped to challenge this/
TheI ndi anwome menwhot ookonamu mul t i nat i onalandwon
J*s-/n Ro)a-Ro)a--%o*-h %o*-h As/a (orrespon+en•
1 E(-ober 201@
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$mage (op.r/gh-9e--. (op.r/gh-9e--. $mages$mage $mages $mage (ap-/on The omen omen have -aen -aen on no- on). -he (ompan. (ompan. -ha- emp)o.s -hem -hem b*- a)so -he -ra+e *n/ons s*ppose+ -o represen- -hem This is the story of an e)traordinary uprising a movement of *%%% +arely educated women la+ourers who took on one of the most powerful companies in the world.
$n a (o*n-r. p)ag*e+ b. se
An+ ha-:s more, -he. on Ko* ma. e)) Ko* e)) have enjo.e+ enjo.e+ -he r*/-s o -he/r -he/r )abo*r )abo*r The omen omen are -ea p/(ers p/(ers rom -he bea*-/*) bea*-/*) so*-h $n+/an s-a-e o >era)a The. or or a h*ge p)an-a-/on (ompan., >anan Devan ?/))s P)an-a-/ons, h/(h /s par-'one+ an+ )arge). (on-ro))e+ b. -he $n+/an m*)-/na-/ona), Ta-a, -he oner o Te-)e. Tea The spar -ha- /gn/-e+ /gn/-e+ -he pro-espro-es- as a +e(/s/on -o (*- -he bon*s pa/+ -o -ea p/(ers, p/(ers, b*- /-s roo-s roo-s go m*(h m*(h +eeper -han -ha-
,oing solo Tea orers Tea orers /n $n+/a $n+/a are no- e)) -rea-e+ -rea-e+ -hen I investigated the industry in Assam last month $ o*n+ )/v/ng an+ or/ng (on+/-/ons so ba+, an+ ages so )o, -ha- -ea orers an+ -he/r am/)/es ere )ema)no*r/she+ an+ v*)nerab)e -o a-a) /))nesses $- seems (on+/-/ons /n >era)a are no- m*(h +/;eren- Par- o -he omen:s (omp)a/n- /s -ha- -he. )/ve /n one'be+ h*-s /-ho*- -o/)e-s an+ o-her bas/( amen/-/es an+, h/)e -he. earn s/gn/5(an-). more -han -he -ea orers /n Assam, -he. sa. -he 230 r*pees L230M 3@0 -he. are pa/+ or a +a.:s or /s ha) ha- a +a/). age )abo*rer /n >era)a o*)+ ge- $mage (ap-/on=e (ap-/on=e p/( -he -ea an+ (arr. -he bags on o*r sho*)+ers, .o* (arr. o; -he mone. bags= B*- hen, /n ear). %ep-ember, -he omen /n >era)a +eman+e+ -he bon*s be re/ns-a-e+ ' a)ong /-h a h/e /n +a/). ages an+ be--er )/v/ng (on+/-/ons ' /- as no- j*s- a (ha))enge -o -he (ompan. -ha- emp)o.s -hem, b*- a)so -o -he -ra+e *n/ons -ha- are s*ppose+ -o represen- -hem The omen omen orers orers sa. -he ma)e -ra+e *n/on )ea+ )ea+ers ers are /n (ahoo-s /-h /-h -he (ompan. (ompan. managemen-, managemen-, +en./ng +en./ng omen -he/r en-/-)emen-s h/)e ens*r/ng -he. ge- -he p)*m jobs -hemse)ves hen -ea pr/(es (o))apse+ a e .ears ba(, an+ some es-a-e oners aban+one+ -he/r p)an-a-/ons, -he omen arg*e -ha- -ra+e *n/on )ea+ers a)a.s manage+ -o eep -he/r jobs The. a)so sa. -ha- -he -ra+e *n/ons *n/ons haven:- +one +one eno*gh -o s-op -he/r -he/r men rom +r/n/ng +r/n/ng aa. -he/r -he/r earn/ngs earn/ngs /-ho*- regar+ or -he/r (h/)+ren:s e+*(a-/on or -he me+/(a) nee+s o -he/r am/)/es An+ -he. shoe+ -ha- -he. (o*)+ )a*n(h an e;e(-/ve pro-es- /-ho*- -he he)p o -he -ra+e *n/ons
-omens Unity hen ,000 omen o((*p/e+ -he ma/n roa+ -o -he hea+F*ar-ers o -he p)an-a-/on (ompan. /- as organ/se+ b. -he omen -hemse)ves, mos- o hom have no h/s-or. o *n/on ag/-a-/on The. (a))e+ (a))e+ -hemse)ves -hemse)ves =Pemp/)a/ =Pemp/)a/ Er*ma/=, Er*ma/=, or omen:s omen:s *n/-. *n/-. $n e;e(- -he omen )a/+ s/ege -o -he 7*nnar, one o >era)a:s mos- pop*)ar -o*r/s- +es-/na-/ons Tra+e an+ -o*r/sm ere bro*gh- -o a near s-an+s-/)) 7an. s)ogans ere +/re(-e+ sF*are). a- -he *n/on )ea+ers =e p/( -he -ea an+ (arr. -he bags on o*r sho*)+ers, .o* (arr. o; -he mone. bags,= rea+ one =e )/ve /n -/n she+s, .o* enjo. b*nga)os,= sa/+ ano-her $mage (ap-/onA (ap-/onA gro*p o sem/')/-era-e omen ha+ -aen on -he mos- poer*) /n-eres-s /n -he s-a-e an+ on
hen ma)e -ra+e *n/on )ea+ers -r/e+ -o jo/n -he pro-es- -he. ere (hase+ aa. The omen a--a(e+ one ormer -ra+e *n/on )ea+er /-h -he/r san+a)s ?e ha+ -o be res(*e+ b. -he po)/(e $n ano-her /n(/+en- -he. -ore +on -he Hag po)es o*-s/+e -he -ra+e *n/on oO(es The. a)so sa o; )o(a) po)/-/(/ans ho an-e+ -o be seen seen o;er/ng -he/r -he/r s*ppor- s*ppor- The omen omen /ns/s-e+ /ns/s-e+ -he. o*)+ o*)+ (on-/n*e (on-/n*e -he pro-espro-es- *n-/) *n-/) -he/r +eman+s +eman+s ere ere me- A- 5rs- -he p)an-a-/on (ompan. as +e5an- b*-, a-er n/ne +a.s o pro-es- an+ mara-hon nego-/a-/ons overseen b. -he (h/e m/n/s-er o -he s-a-e, /- gave /n $- as a s-*nn/ng v/(-or." a gro*p o sem/')/-era-e omen ha+ -aen on -he mos- poer*) /n-eres-s /n -he s-a-e an+ on The omen omen ha+ represen represen-e+ -e+ -he oror(e oror(e a- -he -a)s an+ or(e+ or(e+ managemenmanagemen- -o a((epa((ep- -he/r +eman+ +eman+ -o br/ng br/ng ba( -he 20 bon*s 7eanh/)e -he ma)e -ra+e *n/on )ea+ers ha+ -o sa))o -he/r pr/+e an+ s/gn -he +ea) -he omen ha+ nego-/a-e+
!othing to lose B*- -he ba--)e /sn:- over .e- The /ss*e o -he pa. r/se as -o be nego-/a-e+ nego-/a-e+ separa-e). separa-e). an+, hen -he omen:s +eman+ +eman+ or an /n(rease /n(rease /n ages asn:- me-, -he *n/ons )a*n(he+ an /n+e5n/-e (ampa/gn -o ra/se ra-es rom 232 r*pees -o @00 r*pees a +a. $n par- -h/s as an a--emp- -o se/Ie -he /n/-/a-/ve ba(, o))o/ng -he s*((ess o -he omen:s (ampa/gn $mage (ap-/on=e (ap-/on=e on:- a))o an.one -o e
Kerala plantation workers end stir K&$ EASHR CE77NT Q PR$NT Q T&
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<6 days after the strike began, plantation cos agree to hike wage slightly %$""#R, 0(&0B2R 345 After <6 days days of striking work, work, the ma.ority of the the <5,555 or so workers at at the Tata Tea2controlled Tea2controlled Kanan )e(an )e(an tea company company returned to the plantations here on Thursday following a go(ernment2brokered go(ernment2brokered agreement on a wage hike, in Thiru(ananthapuram, on 4ednesday e(ening/
"ot satisfied 4hile most of the workers workers are happy that that the strike has come to an end, they are not satisfied satisfied with the -uantum -uantum of the wage hike hike the organised trade unions had promised to secure double t he current daily wage/ 7The unions unions had said said that they would get us us ₹155 as daily daily wage instead instead of the the current ₹0=0,8 Kannakai Kannakai *10+, *10+, a tea2leaf plucker, told BusinessLine/ 74hat 74hat they ha(e got got us is .ust .ust ₹=5< a day/8 The disappointment is ob(ious in the faces of the workers, while they are also relie(ed that the strike, which had begun on September 0@, is o(er/ At the si?th round round of talks o(er the past past three weeks at the statutory &lantation &lantation Labour "ommittee "ommittee on 4ednesday, 4ednesday, the managements and the recognised central trade unions in the plantation sector agreed on a package deal/ Accordingly, the workers in the tea Accordingly, tea plantations will will get a Easic )aily )aily 4age of ₹ =5< *this would mean mean a total daily daily wage of ₹:=F, including fringe benefits+/ There was an understanding at the &L" negotiations that the producti(ity per worker would be raised from 0< kg tea lea(es a day to 01 kg, but this has not officially been announced/ Slight increase The rubber workers3 Easic 4age has been increased from ₹=<6 to ₹=@< *total *total wages wages will will be ₹110+, while that of cardamom plantation workers will go up to ₹==5 *total wages ₹:6@+, from the current ₹0F6/ The .oint council of recognised central trade unions in t he plantation sector mostly tea, rubber and cardamom workers in corporate plantations had gone on strike following the success of a nine2day strike by around 1,555 women workers at Kanan )e(an Hills &lantations &ri(ate Limited last month demanding a bonus of 05 per cent/ The loosely2knit women3s collecti(e, later known as &ompilai #rumai, had challenged the trade union dictatorship3, which they alleged had colluded with the managements to deny them due benefits/ Threatened by the unprecedented unity of the non2unionised women workers3 success, the recognised unions, to up the ante, demanded ₹155 as the wage wage and launched launched an indefinite strike on September 0@/ 0@/ Howe(er, the trade unions, well aware that the industry cannot afford to double wages, finally agreed to a far lower wage on 4ednesday e(ening and immediately immediately announced announced that the strike strike was off/
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-omen tea workers in 1unnar allege union2management collusion over pay 0
omen -ea -ea orers /n 7*nnar a))ege *n/on'managemen(o))*s/on over pa. Ever ,000 omen -ea p)an-a-/on orers /n >era)a:s h/)) s-a-/on o 7*nnar have +e(/+e+ -o pro-es- pro-es- aga/ns- -ra+e *n/ons -ha- a))ege+). (o))*+e /-h -he p)an-a-/on managemen- B." 7 %ar/-a 8arma > #eptember 11, 01 1:;< M
2ver 8,000 women tea plantation workers in Kerala7s )ill station of Munnar )ave decided to protest protest aainst trade unions t)at alleedl+ collude wit) t)e plantation manaement! T)e women, workin in Kanan Devan Hills Plantation "KDHP' /ompan+ "formerl+ Tata Tea', )ave been on strike from #unda+, allein t)at t)e trade union leaders )ave been pocketin t)eir ri)tful s)are of monetar+ entitlements like bonuses! 6(e pick t)e tea leaves, we )eave t)e sacks of tea leaves, +ou )eave t)e sacks of mone+ leaves, t)ere )as to be an end to t)is, sa+s a sloan at a Munnar tea plantation, in t)e $dukki district of Kerala! 6Men )ardl+ et tou) c)ores like us, nant)alaks)mi, w)o )as been a tea plucker in t)e plantation for over 0 +ears, told @%! 6(e even load t)e sacks to t)e trucks and are disproportionatel+ paid! t present, present, t)e+ et 5s 1A0 to 5s 5s ;0 per per workin workin da+, da+, w)ic) w)ic) often often stretc)es stretc)es to 1 )ours! T)e men, men, accordin to t)em, et t)e same waes for li)ter tasks like fosterin t)e plants! (omen workers )ave been demandin a salar+ of 5s 00 and a bonus of 0?! Political leaders and trade union leaders )ave notabl+ kept awa+ from t)e scene of protest for t)e last five da+s! 2n #unda+, t)e protestin women workers even laid siee to t)e trade union offices! 2n Tuesda+, t)e traffic on t)e Koc)i*D)anus)kodi national )i)wa+ was paral+sed for most of t)e da+, due to t)e manitude of t)e protest! T)e stir b+ estate workers )as battered t)e tourism industr+ a ood deal! Bisitors to Munnar )ave
been stuck inside t)eir )otels as t)e+ are unable to move around t)e )ill station due to t)e blockade! Hotels )ave started complainin of cancellations of bookins because of t)e troubled atmosp)ere! T)e women workers are not mincin words w)ile makin alleations aainst t)e union leaders! 6ll trade unions, affiliated to t)e ma-or political parties in Kerala, /P$"M', /P$ and Congress , )ave been e3uall+ uilt+ of connivin wit) t)e plantations manaement to keep women workers from ettin t)eir due entitlements! T)e+ )ave been pocketin mone+ from t)e manaement! #ome of t)em )ave become members of t)e state assembl+, utilisin t)e social power and mone+ attained b+ pla+in middlemen between workers and manaement sa+s 5atnamani, w)ose famil+ )as been workin in Munnar plantations for t)ree enerations! lt)ou) lt)ou ) t)e BJP called for a band) in $dukki district, t)e strikin women did not allow t)e part+ to intervene in t)e issue! 2fficials at t)e labour commissioner7s office sa+ t)at t)e+ )ad convened a meetin of t)e workers, representatives of t)e compan+ manaement and trade unions to discuss t)e rievances! However, t)e meetin failed to cobble up a consensus! Meanw)ile, t)e KHDP manaement claims it was t)e fall in profits from t)e previous +ears t)at )ad forced t)em to reduce t)e bonus! T)e compan+ incurred a fall in its income b+ 89? in 014*1 compared wit) t)e previous +ear! T)e compan+ )ad, in a press release, clarified t)at t)e decision was taken after consultin t)e leaders of t)e main trade unions! ()ile t)e women workers )ave demanded 0? bonus, t)e compan+ is willin to ive 10?! Dissent N t present, t)e women workers et 5s 1A0 to 5s ;0 per workin da+, w)ic) often stretc)es to 1 )ours N T)e women workers )ave been demandin a salar+ of 5s 00 and a bonus of 0?
Thehi dde ni nj ur i e sofc as t e :s out hI ndi a nt e awor k er sande conomi ccr i s i s J AYASEELANRAJ2 J29June2015 Economi mi ccri si shaspushedI ndi ant eaworker st oseekemp mpl oymentout si det hepl ant at i ons,f orci ngt hem t or eengagewi wi t h t hec as t ehi e r a r c hyf r om whi c ht he i ra nc es t or sat t e mpt mp e dt oe sc a pe .
T eapi c k er sr e t ur n i n gwi t hsac k so ft eai nMu Mun nar ,I n di a . j onbr ew/ Fl i c k r .Cr eat i v eCommons .
T eap l a nt a t i o nwo r k e r sar eo neo ft h emo s ts t i g ma ma t i s eda ndma r g i n al i s edc ommu ni t i e si nI n di a .Wh Wh i l et h ema j o r i t yofwo r k e r sont h e pl ant at i onsi nt henor t heas twer eor i gi nal l ybr oughtf r om Bi har ,Or i s saandNepal ,i ti sTami l s peak i ngDal i t s( s oc al l ed u nt ouc habl es / ou t c as t s )whoc ons t i t ut et hemaj or i t yoft hel a bourf or c ei nKer al a,s out hI ndi a.Thei rout c as ts oc i al s t at ushascombi ned wi t ht h ei ri d en t i t i e sa sma nu al l a bo ur e r s —a —a l s ok no wnasT ami l c oo l i e s—t ope r p e t u at et h ei re co no mi mi cun de r d e v el o pme nta ndso ci a l ma r g i n al i t y . Al t h ou ghKe r a l ah asun de r t a k enma nyr e f o r mst oa dd r e ssma ma r g i n al i s edp op ul a t i o ns ,t h os ewh oe nt e r e di n t ot h ei n de nt u r e d p l a nt a t i o nl a bo urs y s t e mh av er e ma ma i n edex c l u de da ndma ma r g i n al i s edf r o mI n di a ns oc i e t yasawh ol e . Onpl ant at i onst hems el v es ,ho we ver ,t hepi c t ur ei smo mor eco mp mpl i c at ed .Unt i l r ec en t l y , pl ant at i onsoper a t edass emi aut onomouss oc i o e co nomi cs y st e ms mst hatwer el ar gel ys epar at ef r om t h ewi derec on omi candcul t ur al c ont e xt si nwhi c ht he yop er at e d.Thi si s ol at i on a ffor de dt eawor k er ss omepr ot ec t i o nf r o m di r ec t ,dai l yex po su r et os t i gmaanddi s c r i mi n at i o nont h ebas i sofc as t e.Pl an t at i onwor k er s , a f t ery ear sofs t r uggl e,wer eev enpr o vi dedwi t hcer t ai nwel f ar eme meas ur ess uc hashou si ngandheal t h car e.Suc hpr i v i l e gesar eno t e nj o y edbyi n f o r ma ls ec t o rwo r k e r s ,e v ent h os ewh ob el o ngt ol e sss t i g ma ma t i s eda ndex c l u de dg r o up s,a nda cc es st ot h es er i g ht sga v e t e awo r k e r sas en seo fwo r t hwi t h i nt h ep l a nt a t i o ns y s t e m. m.
Ca st eandc r i s i s :i s ol a t e dnomor e I ndi ant eapr oduc t i onhasbeeni ns ev er ec r i s i ss i nc et hemi dni net i esl ar gel yduet oneol i ber al s t r uc t ur al adj us t ment si nt heI ndi an e co no my my . Th es i z eo ft h et e ai n du s t r y , wh i c hi ss ec on do nl yt oCh i n aa ndac c ou nt sf o r2 5p er c en to fg l o ba lt e ap r o du ct i o n,h asma ma de t hi sahugebl o wt ot hecount r y ’ sag r a r i a nec ono my my . Thei ndus t r yempl o ys1. 26mi mi l l i onpeopl eont eapl an t at i onsandt womi mi l l i on a ddi t i onal peo pl ei ndi r ec t l y .Assuc h,t heec onomi ccr i s i shashadanen or mo usi mpac tont h el i v esofl o ca lr es i den t s .I nKe r a l awher eI h av eb ee nc on du ct i n gr e se ar c h,t h er eh av eb ee ne i g htc as esofs ui c i d ea ndt we l v ed ea t h sd uet os t a r v a t i o no nt e ap l a nt a t i o nss i n ce 2 001.Al ongwi t hut t e rp o ver t yandf ami n e,t eapl an t at i onwor k er sha v ef ac edi nc r eas i ngl yunh y gi e ni cwor ken vi r onment s ,s hat t er e d s oc i al l i f e/ c ommuni t yr e l at i ons ,an dwi t hdr a wal oft hewel f ar emeas ur espr e vi ous l yenj o y ed.
Thec r i s i spu nc t ur edt hei s ol at eden vi r o nme nt soft hepl ant at i o nsandpr ec i pi t at edne ol i be r a lr ef or mst hatc l o se ddo wnpr oduc t i oni n man yar easei t herpar t i al l yorc ompl et el y . Whi l ema man yf ami l i esr emai nedont hepl an t at i ons ,l ar g enumber sofwor k er swh ohadl i v ed t her ef ormor et hanfiv egen er at i on swer eno wc ompel l e dt ose ekwor kou t s i de .So me mewentwi t ht hei rf ami l i est oei t hert hei ranc es t r al v i l l age sorr egi onal i ndu st r i al t o wn sh i pss uc hasCo i mbat or eandTi r upu ri nTami l Nadu. Th es ep l a nt a t i o nwo r k e r sha v en owj o i n edt h er a nk soft h ema ss i v eDa l i two r k f or c ep owe r i n gI n di a ’ sun or g an i s eda ndi n f o r ma ls ec t o r s . I nj oi n i ngt hatpool ofwor k er s ,T ami l Dal i tl abour er sar ee xp os edt oas pec t sofac as t er i dd ens oc i e t yf r o m wh i c ht he yhadpr e vi ous l y beens hi el ded.Thes i t uat i onofSar as wat hi ,af emal er et i r edwor k eri nherear l ysi x t i es ,i l l us t r at est hedi l emmaands t r uggl esoft he wo r k e r swh omo v e do utt h ep l a nt a t i o ns . Sar as wat hi mo vedt oheranc es t r al v i l l agei nsout her nT ami l Nadui nt hewak eoft hecr i s i s .I nt hev i l l age,t he‘ unt ouc habl e ’Dal i t sdonot h av et her i ghtt os i ti ns i det het eas ho panddr i n kt eanordot he yha v et her i ghtt odr i nkt eai nagl as sc up(k ) .TheDal i t sha v e uppi g l as s t os t andout s i det het eas hopandha v et odr i nkei t he rf r om aco co nuts hel l oras t ee lc updepe ndi ngupont hea v ai l abi l i t y .Ha vi ngal wa y s l i v edonapl ant at i onwher ej obt i t l er at hert hanc as t ei dent i t ywasmo mor es i gni fi canti ns hapi ngs oc i al r el at i ons ,Sar as wat hi andherf ami l y wer eno tus edt ot he see xpl i c i t ,e v er y da yf or msofunt ou ch abi l i t yr oo t edi nt her i t ua las pe ct soft hec as t es y st em.The yhadg r o wnup enj o yi ngt her el at i v el yegal i t ar i ans oc i al r el at i onst hate xi s t edonpl ant at i ons ,wher et hec as t es t at usdi dnotnec es sar i l yy i el dmor e p owert ot hehi gherc as t e s.Thec as t ehu mi mi l i at i ont he ye xper i e nc edi nKal l upe t t i wa st hu si nt ens e.I not herwor ds ,t heec onomi ccr i s i s andt hec ons equentdeni al ofl i v el i hoodf or c edt hepl ant at i onT ami l Dal i t st or et ur nt ot hec as t eat r oc i t i esf r om whi c ht hei rf or ebear shad e sc ap edb ymi gr at i n gt ot hepl ant at i ons . Sar as wat hi c oul dn ’ tc onc eal herc as t ei dent i t yi nt hev i l l agewher ee v er y bodyk no wseac ho t her .ForGok ul ,a27y ea r ol dt eapl ant at i on wor k erwhomi mi gr at edt ot hebus t l i ngci t yofChen nai ,t h es t o r yh asbeendi ff er ent .Gok ul f oundaj obi nt heb i gges tr e t a i l s hopi nCh ennai a sasal esbo yi nt hebagss ec t i o n.T odot hi sGok ul di s gui s edhi sc as t e,i n t r oduc i ngh i ms el fasaChr i s t i anandr e f us i ngt oa ns weran y q ues t i onst hatwoul dr e v eal hi sr eal c as t ei dent i t y . Si nc eGok ul pr e se nt edh i ms el fasaChr i s t i an,t heo wneroft hes hopmi ghth av e t houghtt hathewasf r om Nada rc a s t e( t her ei sasi gni fi c antper c ent ageofChr i s t i ansamongt heKer a l aNadar s ,un l i k et he i rc oun t er par t s i nT ami l Na du ) . Go ku lr e po r t e dt h att h eo wn era ndo t h ers t a ffi nt h es ho pa l wa y ss po k eh i g hl yoft h ei ro wnc as t ey e tu se dd eg r a di n g r ac i al s l ur sagai ns tt heot herl owerc as t esi nGok ul ’ spr es enc e,asi fGok ul s har eds uc hat t i t udes .Hi spr oj ec t i onofanal t er nat i v ei dent i t y t oh i dehi sDal i ti dent i t y , asIunder s t oodf r om obs er v i ngandt al k i ngt oh i m,wasnec es s ar yf orhi mt oa vo i dwhath es ai dwer e“ c er t ai n u nn ec es s ar ye x pe r i e nc esi nt h ewo r k p l a ce ” . Th eu r b a nmi g r a t i o no fy o ut hc anbes ee na sas t e pt o wa r d su pwa r ds o ci a lmo bi l i t y . Ho we v ermi g r a t i o na nds et t l e me me ntc an ,a tt h es ame t i me,r eas s er tas t i gmat i s edi dent i t yan dt hwar tambi t i on sofs oc i al ad vanc ement .Us i ngot heri den t i t i esasamas k( a sawa yt o“ pas s ”i n Gok ul ’ swor ds )ec hoest hesi t uat i onofbl ac ksi ncol oni al r ac i al c ont e xt s ,di s cus sedbyFr ant zFanoni n Bl .F an on a c kSk i n s ,Wh i t eMa Ma s k s pr opos edar adi c al deni al ofones el f( s el f al i enat i on)asawa yt oes caper ac i al di s cr i mi nat i onandoppr es si on.I nt heI ndi anc ont e xt ,t he p l a nt a t i o nDa l i t sar ef o r c edt ob ec omeo t h ert h ant h ems el v e si no r d ert oma k et h ei rwa yt h r o u ght h es y s t e m. m.Fo rt e awo r k e r s ,c as t e — b ot hasani d ent i t yandasar e l at i onal or g ani s i ngp r i nc i pl e —h — hasbeenr e vi t al i s edb ypr oc es s esofneo l i ber al ec onomi cr e f or m.
