Living wage, the Oxfam India report titled “In defence of living wages for tea plantation workers: Evidence from Assam” said, was in relation to the International Labour Organisation’s concept of ‘decent work’ and ‘quality of life’. “The study finds a stark gap between the current wages that tea workers receive vis-à-vis the living wage that has been calculated. Assam tea of mass consumption grade competes primarily with tea exported by Kenya and Sri Lanka. According to Oxfam, tea estates in these countries offer accommodation of poor quality and basic amenities. The daily wage of a tea plantation worker in Kenya and Sri Lanka works out to $5 and $3.6 compared to $2.6 in Assam.

Source: The Hindu July 14, 2021 06:56 UTC