Plantation wage increase issue:

UNP, TUs take undue advantage- CWC President

by P. Krishnaswamy and L. S. Wedaarachchi

The UNP and certain Trade Unions were trying to take undue advantage over the plantation wage increase issue, said CWC President and Deputy Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Muthu Sivalingam.

Negotiations between three major plantation trade unions and the Planters’ Association of Ceylon, representing 22 Regional Plantation Companies were deadlocked as no agreement was reached at the last round of talks on Friday afternoon.

While the ‘non-cooperation campaign’ waged by the trade unions continued yesterday for the 12th consecutive day demanding a wage increase of Rs. 500 per day the plantation companies offered only Rs. 370 at the last meeting, TU sources said.

Leaders of the three plantation trade unions - the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC), Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union (LJEWU) and the Joint Plantation Trade Union Centre (JPTUC) told the Sunday Observer that as no compromise seemed possible at the discussions, they have decided to intensify their ‘work to rule’ campaign.

CWC President and Deputy Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Muthu Sivalingam said that they waged the struggle since no compromise with the plantation companies seemed possible at discussions on a reasonable wage increase to the long down-trodden plantation community.

Some groups of the Opposition UNP and certain Trade Unions were trying to take undue advantage of the situation for their own ends, he said.

LJEWU General Secretary and Uva PC member K. Velautham said that they would never resort to full-fledged TU action under any circumstances because the workers are apt to lose their daily wages.

JPTUC General Secretary O. A. Ramiah said that it was unfortunate that the two parties could not reach an amicable settlement on a reasonable wage increase to the workers after nine rounds of talks. The plantation trade unions very much desire an amicable settlement in the interests of all concerned and the plantation companies should consider offering a better deal commensurate with the current COL index, he said.

The last biennial Collective Agreement that offered a wage increase of Rs. 290 expired on March 31, 2009 and negotiations between the Unions and the plantation companies started from the middle of this year.

The plantation companies deplored that the ‘non-cooperation campaign’ has greatly affected the tea industry and national economy at a crucial point of time. Meanwhile, in an effort to resolve the ongoing estate workers trade union crisis, Plantation Minister D. M. Jayaratne will hold discussions tomorrow with trade unions and the Employers’ Federation.

It is hoped that these talks would break the deadlock between both parties as a consensus could not be reached at Friday’s meeting.

The Plantation Minister said that he had already discussed the matter with Labour and Manpower Minister, Athauda Seneviratne. The Employers Federation may agree to increase the daily wage to Rs. 400, the minister said.

After the discussions failed the unions said that they had decided to intensify the go-slow campaign. According to an EFC representative the Rs. 500 daily wage was not possible as no company could afford to pay that amount.