GUWAHATI A new Labour Code may affect job security in the crisis-ridden tea plantations across India, specifically Assam, a London-based policy research group has warned.
As part of the government’s strategy to ensure better wages for plantation workers, the Plantation Labour Act of 1951 will be absorbed into the Labour Code on Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Bill, 2019.
The changes include increasing the cash portion of the tea plantation workers’ compensation to 85% compared to the current levels of 60-65% with the rest being paid in benefits such as ration, health services, and education.
“There is a perception among stakeholders that the new codes give way for a hire-and-fire policy as companies employing up to 300 workers do not need to specify conditions of employment and can issue dismissals without State approval,” a December 2023 report by Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) said.
The ETP brands itself as a global membership organisation that is catalysing long-term, systemic change, to benefit everybody who works in tea industry, especially the people in tea-producing regions.
“Furthermore, the codes restrict workers’ ability to strike, as workers will now need to give 60 days’ notice, compared to the two weeks’ notice previously. In addition, the Code on Wages provides for a floor-level wage that is already lower than the legal minimum wage in most States,” the report said.
The report assumes significance for the tea industry in Assam which accounts for more than 55% of teas produced in India and employs about 10 lakh labourers. According to the State’s Labour Department, the large tea estates in Assam employ an average of 609 temporary and permanent workers.
Missed opportunities
The ETP report also underscored the “missed opportunities in the Tea Promotion and Development Bill of 2020, which focusses on upgrading tea tourism infrastructure.
“The Bill, which defines the responsibilities of the Tea Board, does not outline the Tea Board’s involvement in workers’ welfare During interviews with stakeholders, some pointed out that the Bill also excludes community members as stakeholders and, that this could potentially increase the risk of human rights abuses,” the report said.
A major challenge pointed out by stakeholders was the complexity of navigating different quality standards issued by multiple bodies, calling for a uniform, science-based global standard, the report said.
“Another challenge is that different export countries have different accepted standards on maximum residue levels (pesticides/chemical fertilisers). The limited number of approved chemicals globally, along with worsening weather conditions, is contributing to crop loss,” the ETP report said.
The report further suggested capacity building to promote low-carbon tea production in India.
“This can include producers collaborating with organisations such as the Tea Research Association of India on carbon footprint assessments, followed by the development of detailed action plans that outline strategies and initiatives for emissions reduction,” it said.
