The turmoil['tur,moyl(violent disturbance,खलबली)] in Kerala which crippled[kri-puld(disabled,अपाहिज)] tea production . In an industry where nearly 70 per cent of production costs goes towards wages, it has been amply[amp-lee(more than enough,प्रचुर मात्रा में)] demonstrated how labour unrest can bring plantations to their knees.
The recent uprising[úp,rI-zing(rebellion,विद्रोह)] in Kerala has dealt a body blow to the 8,500-odd plantations in the country. What unfolded in Kerala was the usual case of vested[ves-tid(unconditional,बिना शर्त)] agendas prevailing[pri'vey-ling(common,प्रचलित)] over workers’ interests, with the usual peace-brokering by the government.
There can be no denying that the condition of tea workers calls for improvement in wages, safety, health, working and living standards. An industry with such a huge labour force cannot absolve[ub'zólv(free,मुक्त)] itself of its commitment to labour.
Labour deserves a stake through adequate[a-di-kwut(enough,पर्याप्त)] devolution of shares. It deserves at least a 25 per cent stake in ownership to commence[ku'men(t)s(begin,शुरुवात)] with, with stakes going up linked to productivity.
There should be opportunities for vertical mobility of labour, with investment in education. Individual wages are too meagre[mee-gu(insufficient,अपर्याप्त)] for savings to be carried forward to subsequent[súb-si-kwunt(later,बाद की)] generations. Therefore, life within the plantation needs to be improved for workers to continue there — for their sake and for the next generation. Opportunities to pursue alternative jobs within and outside plantations need to be encouraged. Plantations should have adequate labour representation on the board of governance and the culture of all-male management should be brought to an end. With some of the banks reserving 3 per cent of their annual profit to employees, companies coming forward to allot preferential shares at base price, offering 20-30 per cent bonus, 25 per cent dividend, biannual increments, and non-financial allowances, including schooling for children, there is no reason why tea industry workers should not get the same. The industry needs to understand the value of engaging labour in management conversations.
With blatant[bley-t(u)nt(openly,खुल्लमखुल्ला)] violation of labour standards, it is arduous[aa-joo-us(hard,कठिन)] to understand how plantations obtain certification of various kinds and live up to global benchmarks.
Tea requires an employee-run business model not only to serve the larger interests of labourers but also to serve the companies’ objective of incrementally increasing productivity.
With Munnar contributing to half the tea produced in Kerala, the tumult['tyoo,múlt(turmoil)] among about 13,000 workers in seven major plantations could take the agitatio forward across the misty valleys in the country. Workers have not benefited from the buoyancy[boy-un(t)-see(cheerfulness,प्रफुल्लता)] in tea prices in the last 10 years; therefore, the current lull in the tea market should not come in the way of 98og .mPa wage hike. However, a true change in labour-management relations is called for.
If the current status quo[stey-tus kwow(existing state of affairs,यथापूर्व स्थिति)] is not shaken, the working class is likely to abandon[u'ban-dun(leave,छोड़ना)] plantations in pursuit of greener pastures
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