Journal of Tea Science Research. 2015, Vol. 5, No. 5, 1-8
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study in Assam shows that 83% of the workers are
married, 8% unmarried and 9% widow (Devi, 2014).
Similar study was conducted in the china. They found
73% of the tea workers are married. When people
married, they lead separated family. If they do it they
find new house and other facilities from the authority.
As for that most of the respondents were married and
family was nuclear in type. (Figure 1) (Figure 2).
3.3 Earning members of the family
Most of the family member involve with work. Our
study found that 34% of the families have two and
three member working in their family. And only
1.33% families have six members working. Their
works are fixed. If occurring any inconsistency in
their family than they does extra work in the garden.
Some family cultivates various kinds of vegetable and
rear domestic animal like cow, goat, chicken, hen etc.
in their home. We see there are more earning members
in one family then dependent or unemployed. At least
2-3 person is working in a family as the mean is 2.89
that is, 3.
Figure 1 Population Distribution in age
Figure 2 Marital status of the tea workers
3.4 Number of child worker per family (0-18)
Child work is common in tea garden, for this every
family has child worker. Our study found that 54.67%
family has one child worker in their families and only
13.33% families have no child worker in their family.
That did not mean there is no worker; it is because
that they become adult. Das and Islam (2006) found
that Child labor is rampant in tea gardens. Poverty is
the main reason why children are forced to be engaged
in some income generating activity.
3.5 Monthly income per family
The tea worker works hard but they get low salary.
Average monthly income of a worker is 1340 Tk. It is
not sufficient for a people in this time in Bangladesh.
Because, food price and others goods price increases
in our country. Therefore, they cannot deal healthy life
in the tea garden. Our study showed that 20% of the
families earn 5000-6000tk and 4% families earn
11000
+
tk. The mean income of a family 6246, which
is very low. This 6246 taka is earned by at least 3-4
people in a month. This is very much pathetic. The tea
workers work in the garden from 9 am. To 5 pm. And
to ensure them pick up 20 kg tea from the garden.
Some people works as a wood carpenter and pump
driver etc. in the tea garden. They get salary 55taka
per day. This is very much pathetic and against the
human rights as there a right to pay equal to work. In
the social security issue, they are not getting any kind
of security from government. The tea garden authority
provides 5 kg rice per tea worker but most of the tea
worker. After many years working they get 55000 taka
at a time. (Devi 2014) showed that in Assam 92%
workers have their average monthly income of Rs.
1000 to Rs. 5000 while, 12% of them have Rs. 5001
to 10000 and another 1% have Rs. 10001 to 15000.
Thus it is concluded that majority of the respondents
have their average monthly income of Rs. 5000 or
below.
Due to the severely low wages in Sri-lanka,
industrial action took place in 2006; Wages in the tea
sector were increased with the average daily wage
earned in the sector now significantly higher at 378
rupees for men and 261 for women in some places.
(Figure 3) (Figure 4).
