The Assam Government has cancelled its earlier notification of increase in the daily wage of tea garden workers in the State by Rs. 50, which was yet to be implemented due to a stay order by the Gauhati High Court on March 17. The Labour Welfare Department, through a notification on May 26 has cancelled its earlier notification of February 23 this year, which had enhanced the daily wage of tea garden workers in Assam by an amount of Rs. 50.
The Department has also formed a committee while cancelling the earlier notification under provisions of Section 5 (1) (a) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, with its Assam amendment vide the Assam Act, 1964, Section 2 effective from August 11, 1964, for 'fixing and revisiting minimum wages' for the tea garden workers. The previous notification was yet to be implemented as it was challenged by tea associations in the Gauhati High Court the same day, with the Court staying the notification.
The petitioners had contended before the Court that no committee/ sub-committee, as required under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, had been formed before deciding on increasing the daily wage. Meanwhile, a meeting between Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and employers' and employees' representatives is scheduled here later today to discuss the matter of daily wages for the tea garden workers.
The Gauhati High Court stayed the order of the Assam Government of the daily wage hike of the tea garden laborers, the decision which was taken in a hurry by the state government ahead of the Assam Assembly elections.
The tea garden owners opposed the decision of the government without taking into consent of the tea companies and its owners'. The tea garden owners' moved to the high court against the government's notification of raising the daily wage hike by Rs. 50 without any rules and regulations and by violating the Assam Planters Labour Protection Act (APLA).
