ILAM: Agitating tea estate workers on Friday agreed to return to work after getting assurances from Labor Minister Gokarna Bista to address their demands.

Minister Bista reached Ilam today to listen to the workers’ concerns and assured that the government would raise their salary as per the new labor act.

The minister had, earlier last week instructed tea entrepreneurs to furnish reasons behind their failure to provide set wages to the workers.

Workers of Ilam and Jhapa earlier returned to work after an agreement reached with tea entrepreneurs, several workers working in Ilam Tea Garden and Kanyam Tea Garden were continuing their agitation.

Tea entrepreneurs have been denying to provide set wages alleging the workers for failing to work for the given time period.

Vice-chairperson of All Nepal Tea Workers Association, Umesh Regmi said all agitating workers would report back for work from Saturday.

The workers in tea estates have been receiving Rs 265 to Rs 308 in salary each per day, which is against the government’s set minimum wage structure of Rs 385.

Tea factory workers are entitled to receive Rs 427 per person each day. The laborers have demanded implementation of the Labor Act, 2074, Social Security Act, and the Labor Regulations, 2075.