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Labour Ministry intervenes in plantation dispute with workers
View(s):The Labour Ministry has stepped in to resolve a dispute of a private plantation company following a string of protests by workers over the non payment of Employment Provident Fund and Employees Trust Fund contributions.
Labour Minister John Seneviratne told the Sunday Times that the Ministry had called the parties concerned for a discussion.
This was after hundreds of workers of Agalawatte Plantations Plc under Mackwoods Plantations (Pvt) Ltd took to the streets last week while similar protests were held in the plantations.
Their demands included the speedy payment of arrears related to EPF and ETF, settling gratuity payments to retired workers, paying salaries on time, giving workers at least 300 days of work per year, settling electricity bills of factories and maintenance of factories and vehicles among others.
However, Labour Minister Mr. Seneviratne said they had a complaint that EPF and ETF contributions have not been in order for the past three years in these plantations which have some 5,000 employees.
He said the protests were sparked off as the payments for the Deepavali festival too had been delayed leading to protests by workers.
He said during the discussion agreement was reached with the company to settle EPF and ETF dues by March while the cases in some of the Labour courts will continue.
He said they had complaints that wages were being paid by felling trees on the estate and other issues of mismanagement have been referred to the Plantation Ministry for necessary action.
Additionally, there are many cases pending in the Magistrate Courts of Kalutara, Ratnapura and Nuwara Eliya. The Kalutara Labour office said that since 2013 the company had not paid EPF and ETF to its workers.
An officer said that every six months around 400 workers complain to the Labour Department against the company.
Meanwhile the plantation Secretary, Upali Marasinghe said that talks are on regarding the extension of the period of leasing the plantations to 99 years.
He said that three committees have been appointed to look into the Regional Plantation Companies, Janatha Estate Development Board and State Plantations Corporation holding state land and how best the land could be cultivated.
He said that the committees are in discussion with the plantation companies and have requested them to come up with proposals to cultivate the land and bear profits.
There was no response from Agalawatta Plantations Plc to the telephone calls or emails sent to the company.