Kerala: 4,000 tea workers protest bonus cut, keep unions out in Munnar
Without the support of trade unions or their leaders, 4,000-odd tea estate workers of Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Limited (formerly Tata Tea) filled the streets of Munnar hill station in Kerala for the third day on Tuesday, demanding an increase in bonus and daily wages. A major chunk of the agitators were women deployed for plucking tea leaves in the estate...The estate management said the tea industry has been going through a severe crisis. The company was forced to reduce the bonus from 20 per cent to 10 per cent this year due to the fall in the profit. The company said the decision to reduce the bonus was taken after consulting the trade union leaders. - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/munnar-tea-estate-workers-demand-higher-bonus-wages/#sthash.XfiSsMdA.dpuf