Over two-and-a-half lakh workers employed in the 180-odd tea estates of Dooars and Terai will receive a bonus at the rate of 16 per cent this year, around three per cent less compared to last year.

The decision was made on Thursday night at a bipartite meeting held in Calcutta among representatives of tea planters' associations and tea trade union leaders.

“At the meeting, it was unanimously decided that the bonus would be paid at the 16 per cent rate. The industry is plagued with low production and thus, lesser earnings due to inclement weather conditions since the beginning of the year. Yet, during the negotiations, we agreed to pay a bonus at the rate,” said Chinmoy Dhar, the chairman of the north Bengal branch of the Tea Association of India. The decision was made during the third round of talks.

Earlier, both sides had held talks twice but couldn't reach at a consensus over the rate. On Friday, another round of talks was held as the planters' associations handed over a list of 73 gardens that are facing financial crisis, to the trade unions.

“We told the trade unions that these tea estates cannot pay bonus at the decided rate (of 16 per cent) and that they should be allowed to pay lower rates. The unions, however, agreed to only 50 such gardens. In these gardens, the bonus will be paid at rates ranging from nine per cent to 15 per cent,” Dhar added.

At the meeting, the planters said that in the current year, the tea industry in Bengal has suffered a production loss of around 21 per cent in the first seven months (till July), vis-a-vis the production during the corresponding period of last year.

“There had been a marginal rise in tea auction prices but that is inadequate to compensate for the loss,” said a planter based in Siliguri.

The trade union leaders, while commenting on the bonus rate, reconfirmed that it is lower compared to last year.

“We bargained hard but simultaneously, we had to consider the fact that there had been less production this year. That is why, we settled at 16 per cent and hope the workers will understand the situation,” said Nakul Sonar, the chairman of Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union.

While the bonus rate was decided for the gardens in the plains, it is yet to be decided for the 87 tea estates in the Darjeeling hills.

Unlike the plains where the decision was made through three rounds of bipartite talks, no such meeting was held among the tea planters and trade unions as they had stuck to the demand for a bonus at a 20 per cent rate.

This prompted the state labour department to intervene and on Friday, a tripartite meeting was convened at the office of the deputy labour commissioner in Siliguri.

“Discussions are going on. No decision has been reached so far,” said a trade union late in the evening.