People's Democracy

AFTER prolonged negotiations, a tripartite agreement regarding jute workers was signed in Kolkata on January 5. The agreement has been widely welcomed.

One of the salient features of the agreement is that the retired workers would be paid their gratuity dues, amounting to about Rs 144 crore, at the earliest.

The labour department will examine in depth the workers’ demand about 80 per cent permanent and 20 per cent special badli and make a decision within a year. For the time being, 250 special badli workers in each mill will be made permanent and the consequent 250 vacancies in special badli category will be filled up with those registered as badli workers. Thus a total of about 25,000 workers will have stable and secure jobs. New entrants will be paid a minimum of Rs 100 per day plus fringe benefits, with a provision of payment of Rs 1.90 per point of rise in the consumer price index. These workers will thus get nearly Rs 3,500 per month. All irregular jobs in the name of Zero No., Bhagawals, contract labour, casual labour, etc, will be abolished and the workers working in these jobs will be treated as new entrants.

In 1963, after merging the basic wages and dearness allowance, the Wage Board had divided the same into 50 per cent piece rate and 50 per cent daily rate, that is, fixed wage. In course of the last 38 years, this system has substantially eroded because of the continuous price rise and increases in DA. Hence it had become a problem for both the employees and the workers, causing intermittent disruption in work and leading to lockouts and strikes. To overcome the difficulty, it has been agreed that one-third of the wages will be linked with production and while the rest two-thirds will be the fixed part. Production norms will be fixed in such a manner that workers are treated as human beings and their work is to a reasonable extent. This will provide for industrial peace and uniformity.

The working of the entire agreement will be reviewed after six months. The other issues will be looked into by a tripartite committee set up by the state government. It will consist of five representatives from trade unions and five from employers, with principal labour secretary as chairman, labour commissioner as vice chairman and additional labour commissioner as member secretary. This committee will be a permanent body to look into every problem that will come up in course of time.

On the basis of a letter issued by the state government, employers have agreed to pay the enhanced DA to all the existing workers in accordance with the decisions of the Shimla Bureau that compiles consumer price index. The agreement will be enforced from November 1, 2001, subject to adjustments after the final decision of the court. Under this agreement, all workers will get benefited to the extent of Rs 500 a month, including the fringe benefits. The state government is making serious efforts to clear all the dues of gratuity so that the workers’ long wait comes to an end. This will create more than 30,000 vacancies, paving the way for entry of new 30,000 hands in jute industry. The agreement does not cause any harm to any single jute worker. If a worker is getting more than what is due according to the agreement, he/she will continue to get that benefit.

The state government has assured the employers that if they face any difficulty in course of the agreement’s implementation, the state government will extend all possible cooperation to solve the problem through mutual negotiations. Peace, discipline and industrial security are to be guaranteed. The viability of each unit will be a basic factor to be considered. A unique feature is that, perhaps for the first time, an agreement has been arrived at after the broad acceptance by both the parties, without a strike. It is hoped that this agreement will help other industries too to come to a settlement with regard to the question of enhanced DA and other issues.

The employers will provide identity cards or employment books to all categories of workmen within a period of two months.

Particularly at this point of time when the entire trade union movement is fighting a defensive battle, this agreement will encourage the working class to strengthen its unity and conduct its struggle with a sense of responsibility. Effective implementation of the provisions of this agreement largely depends on the strength and unity of the workers in each unit and overall supervision of the central trade unions that unitedly work in West Bengal.