Tea planters threaten garden closure

Siliguri/Jaigaon, Aug. 11: Tea planters today threatened to shut down gardens in the Dooars and Terai if workers continued with strikes and embargo on the despatch of manufactured tea to markets to demand a hike in daily wages.

The two apex bodies of trade unions, on the other hand, decided to go ahead with a general strike across north Bengal tomorrow to increase the wage from Rs 67 to Rs 130.

The Progressive Tea Workers' Union will not take part in tomorrow's strike, but has chalked out its own agitation plans for the next fortnight. The union, affiliated to the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, has been stalling the despatch of manufactured tea from the gardens since August 5 to press for the demand.

"The CCPA has met among its constituents and have now resolved that if the path of agitation, that is, strikes and road blockade continues, management would have no other option but to consider suspension of operations to limit collateral damage," reads the release issued by Monojit Dasgupta, the secretary-general of the CCPA (Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations).

The planters also said rivalry between unions was also contributing to the troubles of the industry.

"The path of agitation has been further complicated by inter-union rivalry…there is clear evidence that decisions of PTWU central leadership are not percolating to or not being observed in grassroots. Confrontation like situation between union groups is also reported in gardens. It is these conditions that may eventually lead the industry to take precipitate action on the lines already stated."

The CCPA iterated that the strikes and the embargo on the despatch of tea had hit the operations in the gardens and resulted in losses.

"The continuing accumulation of manufactured teas in estates, constrained by limited factory space, is leading to choking of manufacturing operations and consequential delays of dispatching teas to auction centres and other markets is resulting in delayed cash flows, which might cripple a cash-based industry like tea with limited recourse to credit," said the CCPA.

The trade unions, however, are not ready to budge from their stance. "The attitude of tea planters in the six rounds of talks held to reach an agreement on wages was utterly disappointing," said Chitta Dey, the convener of the Coordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers.

"That is why we are on strike to mount pressure on the planters in the interest of over two lakh workers and their families."

The Co-ordination Committee and another body of trade unions, the Defence Committee for Plantation Workers' Rights, enforced a strike in the gardens in the plains yesterday and today. They have called a general strike across north Bengal tomorrow.

"We have received an overwhelming support from political parties and organisations and expect it to be a complete shutdown tomorrow," said Dey.

The Parishad union has called a strike in the gardens on August 17 and 18 and a bandh in the plains from August 22 to August 24.

View the original article here

Tea planters threaten garden closure Bandh for wage hike today

 A woman cycles in a garden closed during a strike called by trade unions on Wednesday. (Biplab Basak) Siliguri/Jaigaon, Aug. 11: Tea planters today threatened to shut down gardens in the Dooars and Terai if workers continued with strikes and embargo on the despatch of manufactured tea to markets to demand a hike in daily wages.

The two apex bodies of trade unions, on the other hand, decided to go ahead with a general strike across north Bengal tomorrow to increase the wage from Rs 67 to Rs 130.

The Progressive Tea Workers? Union will not take part in tomorrow?s strike, but has chalked out its own agitation plans for the next fortnight. The union, affiliated to the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad, has been stalling the despatch of manufactured tea from the gardens since August 5 to press for the demand.

?The CCPA has met among its constituents and have now resolved that if the path of agitation, that is, strikes and road blockade continues, management would have no other option but to consider suspension of operations to limit collateral damage,? reads the release issued by Monojit Dasgupta, the secretary-general of the CCPA (Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations).

The planters also said rivalry between unions was also contributing to the troubles of the industry.

?The path of agitation has been further complicated by inter-union rivalry?there is clear evidence that decisions of PTWU central leadership are not percolating to or not being observed in grassroots. Confrontation like situation between union groups is also reported in gardens. It is these conditions that may eventually lead the industry to take precipitate action on the lines already stated.?

The CCPA iterated that the strikes and the embargo on the despatch of tea had hit the operations in the gardens and resulted in losses.

?The continuing accumulation of manufactured teas in estates, constrained by limited factory space, is leading to choking of manufacturing operations and consequential delays of dispatching teas to auction centres and other markets is resulting in delayed cash flows, which might cripple a cash-based industry like tea with limited recourse to credit,? said the CCPA.

The trade unions, however, are not ready to budge from their stance. ?The attitude of tea planters in the six rounds of talks held to reach an agreement on wages was utterly disappointing,? said Chitta Dey, the convener of the Coordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers.

?That is why we are on strike to mount pressure on the planters in the interest of over two lakh workers and their families.?

The Co-ordination Committee and another body of trade unions, the Defence Committee for Plantation Workers? Rights, enforced a strike in the gardens in the plains yesterday and today. They have called a general strike across north Bengal tomorrow.

?We have received an overwhelming support from political parties and organisations and expect it to be a complete shutdown tomorrow,? said Dey.

The Parishad union has called a strike in the gardens on August 17 and 18 and a bandh in the plains from August 22 to August 24.

View the original article here

Make tea with garden plants

Gardening in North Florida and tea making are a natural combination. With the summer heat, iced tea is a refreshing treat. And many of the plants in our gardens lend themselves well to tea making.

The iced tea that we Southerners drink on hot summer days is made from a species of camellia, Camellia sinensis. This plant grows like a weed here. Making homemade green tea is easy, while black tea is made by a fermenting process. To learn more, check out the IFAS guide "Tea Growing in The Florida Home Landscape" on the web at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs308.

The herb garden is a natural place to begin your tea-making adventure. Mints grow well here and can supply a steady supply of leaves for a daily tea break. Mint can be the base of many blended herbal teas. Making blended teas is fun and limited only by your imagination.

Lemon balm is among herbs that can be used to make tea. Lemon balm will survive neglect in the garden, but it enjoys an occasional watering. Lemon balm tea is soothing; just add a little honey and enjoy.

Lemon verbena is an underutilized herb that is a mainstay of tea-making. It is winter-hardy in a sheltered spot and likes dry poor soils. Lemon verbena leaves make a delicious tea by themselves or when combined with other ingredients.

Lemongrass flourishes in our humid climate. It is tender to frosts, but grows well in a protected area or container. Many commercial herbal teas use this plant as an ingredient. It's wonderful combined with blackberry and strawberry leaves, rose hips and honey.

Try lemon thyme for its lemony, woodsy flavor, which mixes well with fennel and strawberry leaves. Lavender is used for its cool, sweetly aromatic, exotic flavor.

For good cultural information on growing herbs, download IFAS's "Herbs in the Florida Garden" http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh020.

Many fruiting plants have leaves and flowers that are great additions to tea blends. Extra fruit from the orchard also can be dried to make tea. Strawberry, blueberry, apple and pear are just a few to brew with. The possibilities are endless. Don't throw away your citrus peels; trim them into slivers and dry. Fresh fruit also can be used in teas. One of my favorites is sweet kumquats sliced in half and floated in a jasmine black-tea blend. Citrus and elderberry blossoms impart a sweet, honey-like flavor to the blend. Use fresh or dry for use later. Blackberry leaves also are used dry or fresh. They are tangy and cool with a refreshing aftertaste.

Some of the most interesting teas are made from olive and bay. And, yes, both of these are easily grown our area. Olive leaf tea is simple to make. Leaves are washed, air dried, and steeped in boiled water for a few minutes until liquid turns a beautiful golden tan color. Sweeten with honey and serve hot or cold. Only the Mediterranean bay is used to make tea, as some of our native bays are poisonous. Bay imparts a bitter flavor, that when used sparingly in blends, sets off the sweeter herbs, creating more complex flavor notes in the brew.

Homemade teas from your garden are easy to make, and you'll soon find yourself enjoying the process as much as the brew. Find a great source for learning about harvesting and drying herbs at www.vegetablegardener.com/item/2701/how-to-dry-herbs.

— Brandy Cowley-Gilbert is co-owner of Just Fruits and Exotics Nursery (www.justfruitsandexotics.com) in Medart and a member of the University of Florida IFAS Leon County Extension Advisory Committee, http://leon.ifas.ufl.edu. Send your gardening questions to Ask-a-MasterGardener@leoncountyfl.gov.

View the original article here