Lockout at Haileyburia Tea Estates withdrawn, work to resume on September 2

Haileyburia Tea Estates Ltd. at Peerumade in Idukki has decided to lift the lockout declared on August 7 after a meeting was held with labour unions at the office of the Chief Inspector of Plantations in Kottayam on Monday (September 1, 2025).

During the meeting, the management agreed to provide salary and other benefits to the workers and to resume the operations of the tea gardens on Tuesday, according to Antappan M. Jacob, vice-president of the High Range Estate Employees Association (CITU).

According to officials, it was decided at the meeting to distribute the wages for July on September 3, pay six-month dues of the Provident Fund (PF) within one year, pay PF of the superannuation workers and deceased workers before December 31, provide ₹2,000 each as Onam advance to all workers, and to provide gratuity as per seniority,” said Mr Jacob.

Cyriac Thomas, president of the High Range Plantation Employees Union (INTUC), said on Monday that the meeting concluded on a positive note. “A meeting will be held on October 10, 2025 to discuss the other issues on the estate,” said Mr. Thomas.

Haileyburia Tea Estates senior manager M. Lingaraj said that the management would resume the operations of the plantation at full level from Tuesday. “The management is requesting the full cooperation of the workers and unions to continue the operations of the tea gardens,” said Mr. Lingaraj.

The management announced a lockout on August 7 after they failed to provide wages and benefits to the employees of the Semmni Valley, Vallakkadu, Chinnar and Haileyburia divisions of Haileyburia Tea Estates Limited, near Elappara in Peerumade.

After announcing the lockout, the unions and the management conducted three meetings, but no agreement was reached.