India : Federation dismisses plantation workers' claims
The Karnataka Growers’ Federation, an organisation of coffee growers in Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu, has dismissed the allegations of plantation workers that locals were losing jobs in coffee plantations because
of the entry of workers from Assam and other north-eastern States.
Recently, plantation workers under the banner of the All India Trade Union Congress staged a protest in Hassan demanding that plantation owners give preference to locals.
Federation president B.S. Jairam and general secretary U.M. Theerthamallesh, in a press release issued here on Sunday, said the locals were responsible for their problems. “These locals work in the field only for four hours a day. There are enough opportunities in plantations for people ready to work for eight hours a day,” they said in the release.
They also clarified that the workers form the north-east were not being made to work for low wages, a claim that was made by the protesters.
“We are paying them minimum wages as per the rule, besides providing housing and other basic necessities,” the release said.
Workers have alleged that locals were losing jobs in coffee plantations to those from the north-east