COLOMBO : On International Women’s Day, initiated by women workers, the Ceylon Workers Red Flag Union and the Red Flag Women’s Movement mark Day 2 of continuous protest outside the Labour Department to demand that plantation companies sign the Collective Agreement and adhere to basic labour protections and practices.
Since the Wages Board decision to provide Rs.1000 basic wage to plantation workers last year (2021), plantation companies have retaliated by;
– Not signing the Collective Agreement
– Increasing the daily tea plucking quota from 16-18kg to 20-25kg
– Reducing the number of work days given
– Withholding maternity benefits
– Not deducting trade union fees
– Ceasing engagement in dispute resolution discussions with labour officers
Since the Rs. 1000 wage hike, conditions in the plantations have been getting steadily worse, as plantation companies are not adhering to even basic protections set out by the Collective Agreement.
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