Big win for plantation workers as president announces Rs.1,700 wage hike
Sri Lanka’s plantation sector secured a big win yesterday, with the government announcing the increase of the daily wage of the workers to Rs.1,700.
A gazette notification was also issued in this regard.
The fight for higher wages by the plantation workers has been ongoing for months and gathered steam in recent weeks. The workers went on strike, demanding a hike while stating that the plantation companies are earning massive profits but have taken no steps to increase their earnings.
The announcement made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the May Day rally of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress, held at the Kotagala Public Ground yesterday morning, comes as the plantation companies continue to push their two proposals that are based on productivity and attendance.
The companies have been firm in their stance that they will only agree to the proposed models but under no means will agree to pay Rs.1,700.
Speaking to Mirror Business in December 2023, when Labour Minister Manusha Nanayakkara was pressurising the companies to finalise the wage agreement, the Planters’ Association said it “clearly communicated” that the Rs.1,700 wage cannot be agreed upon, since it is “unrealistic”, given the high cost of operations.
Regardless, an announcement of a hike was made by Wickremesinghe himself.
“We have raised the daily wage of plantation workers to Rs.1700. We remain committed to addressing the challenges faced by the plantation community,” Wickremesinghe told the rally.
He pointed out that the government has implemented a salary increase of Rs.10,000 for the government employees, alongside augmenting the provisions under the ‘Aswesuma’ scheme. Similarly, the private sector has followed suit by raising wages, he added.
“As a government, we have consistently prioritised the welfare of plantation workers. I empathise deeply with their challenges and understand their needs. Therefore, I, as the President, affirm my commitment to safeguarding the rights of the plantation workers under my leadership,” said Wickremesinghe.
Mirror Business reached out to the Planters’ Association of Sri Lanka for its comment on the wage hike. However, all attempts were unsuccessful.
The Planters’ Association has maintained that under the productivity model, the plantation workers earn nearly Rs.65,000 monthly. The association has stressed in several occasions that the proposed model also helps to increase the productivity of workers, given that the more they pluck, the more they earn.
The Planters’ Association has also repeatedly pointed out that the productivity of the local plantation workers is possibly the lowest in the region, yet they fetch a higher wage in addition to the other facilities.
On average, the plantation workers in Sri Lanka pluck about 18 kilogrammes of tea leaves per day, whereas in India, the workers pluck about 32 kilogrammes a day.