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by P. Krishnasamy

Estate labour unions and estate managements have not been able to arrive at a consensus over the question of the duration of a fresh Collective Agreement in place of the one that would lapse end of this month. This issue has delayed a settlement on a wage hike for 300,000 plantation workers.

Discussions mainly revolved over this issue, TU sources told the Sunday Observer. The TUs sought an agreement lasting one year while the EFC insisted on a minimum of two years.

In the context of the current economic situation, the anticipated strides forward, the rising COL index unit and the depreciating value of the rupee against the US dollar, the TUs wanted to be in a position to re-negotiate for a revision, if deemed necessary, after one year, but the EFC was not in agreement, sources further said. The last Collective Agreement was for a period of two years and the TUs were bound by that. The quantum of wage increase was not so much an issue as the validity period of the agreement, it is learnt.

Representatives of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), Lanka Jathika Estate Workers' Union (LJEWU) and the Joint Plantation Trade Union Centre (JPTUC) met the EFC for an emergency meeting last Friday, July 26, after their meeting on July 24, but could not arrive at a settlement.

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