Overview

• Sit-in protests began on June 8 at four centrally managed Dooars tea estates after workers went unpaid for six months.
• Unions affiliated with the TMC, BJP and Congress joined June 9 demonstrations at Ambari Garden to spotlight poor infrastructure and frozen provident fund deposits.
• Workers who blocked NH-17 in late May after broken payment promises now warn they will resume an indefinite highway blockade if dues remain unpaid.
• Andrew Yule management attributes the payroll delays to low production and supply shortages; unions blame the central government for ignoring estate operations.
• TCBSU president Birendra Bara Oraon is set to meet state officials in Kolkata to finalize the next phase of the movement.