Estate salary to increase by 12%

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 18:57 GMT]
The basic daily salary for estate workers is to increase by Rs.14 to Rs.135, according to a joint agreement reached between Plantation Owners Association (POA) and Upcountry Trade Unions in Colombo Tuesday, sources said.

Arumugam Thondaman, President of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Member of Parliament from Nuwara Eliya district, signed on behalf of the Upcountry Trade Unions. Mr Obeysekara signed on behalf of the POA.

The United National Party (UNP) upcountry Trade Union leader, Mr.Velautham also participated.

Parliamentarian Mr. Chandrasekaran, leader of Up country trade union did not participate in the event. He said that the salary increment is ''grossly inadequate,'' and that the workers have been let down again.

Inclusive of all the daily allowances, the tea estate workers will now gross Rs 198 per day. Rubber estate workers' salary was increased by Rs.10 to bring it in par with the salary of tea estate workers to Rs. 135 per day.

They new salary will be backdated from 1st July 2004. Workers can expect the arrears and the new salary from this month, sources close to the agreement said.

POA and Trade Unions have been negotiating for nearly three months, before reaching the agreement.