• Further decisions on protests to be based on plantation cos. objections or payment

In light of the Government’s recent gazette notification that increased the daily wage of plantation sector workers to Rs. 1,700, plantation sector workers have provisionally halted the ongoing protests demanding that their daily wage be increased up to Rs. 2,000. Trade unions representing the sector assert that their protests have not, however, come to an end, and that their target of Rs. 2,000 per day remains unchanged.

According to the All Ceylon Estate Workers’ Union Secretary, J.M.A. Premaratne, a decision as to whether to resume or to change the approach of the protests will depend on whether the plantation companies oppose the above said wage hike and in reality pay the increased wage. He told The Daily Morning that thus far, no talks have been held between the plantation companies and the sector’s workers.

The gazette notification, issued on 1 May, increased the minimum daily wage of those engaged in the tea and rubber growing and manufacturing trades to Rs. 1,700. Although plantation companies have the opportunity to oppose it until today (15), thus far, they have not done so, which Premaratne said is a good sign despite their disagreement with the amount by which the daily wages were increased. He added that even though their demand for Rs. 2,000 will continue, the workers will accept Rs. 1,700 as a satisfactory daily wage, and further noted that the fact that the Government took a step to increase wages is also a good sign. In addition, noting that the sector’s workers’ next salary (for the month of May) is due before 10 June, Premaratne said that whether the workers would receive the increased pay remains to be seen. Depending on the receipt of increased salaries, the future course of protests will be decided.

Earlier, trade unions representing the sector had expressed concerns about the practical payment of salaries, noting that employers impose conditions, some of which are practically difficult to fulfil, in order to receive the minimum wage.

Before the above said wage hike was announced, plantation workers told The Daily Morning that they would not support a blanket wage hike, adding that increased wages should depend on increased productivity which will enable the sector to provide workers with better wages. They also warned that a wage hike that does not take into consideration the productivity-related aspect will cause the sector to collapse. In March, the plantation companies had proposed a 33% productivity-based wage model and a 22% attendance-based wage model.