Management of Human Resources during Pre and Post-Globalized Regime: An Empirical Study in Tea Industry of North Bengal

Presently, Indian tea plantation industry has been confronted stiff competition due to reduction of tariff barrier and relaxation of the quantity restriction on import because of LPG (Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization) policy promulgated in 1991. Tea estates of the North Bengal have been forced on reducing labour cost to be in stable position, not only that, due to the low profitability, most of the estates are not in a position to mitigate their responsibilities towards the workers as prescribed by the labour legislations. As a result of that the workers, who are mainly dependent on the tea plantation to survive, had to live hand to mouth. To have a two square meal in a day, they have resorted to sell their child also in different tea estates. Death of tea workers due to malnutrition in this region have become common phenomenon. All these have led to the workers to become more violent, resorts to strike to pressurize on the management, etc. have increased significantly. The present study highlights the pattern of human resource management during the pre and post globalization era in tea plantation industry in North Bengal region. Primary data has been used mainly in this study and collection of which has done with the help of stratified random sampling technique from the selected tea estates. Thereafter analysis and conclusions have made accordingly.