CWC wants Collective Agreement
View(s):The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), the largest trade union body in the plantations, continues to insist that they want the age-old Collective Agreement to be in place despite ensuring workers a wage of Rs.1000 through the Wages Board.
“We have not said we are leaving the Collective Agreement,” CWC MP M. Rameshwaran told the Business Times on Thursday.
He noted that the companies should consider the plight of the workers and pointed out that they were not willing to protest again on the plantation.
The MP said they were yet to receive letters repudiating the agreement and noted that any welfare benefits granted to the workers should continue.
Labour Commissioner Prabath Chandrakeerthi told the Business Times on Wednesday that there are two Collective Agreements in place. The one relating to the wages expired on January 28, 2021 when the parties differed on the terms and decided to go ahead with the Wages Board model.
The other agreement on facilities, he noted has been repudiated by the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) and in this respect the Employers’ Federation has handed over the documents.
Mr. Chandrakeerthi explained that one month after repudiating the agreement according to the Industrial Disputes Act it will be so gazetted.
Of the 44 wages boards in place, the Labour Commissioner noted that the tea and rubber board provides for the highest payment of Rs.900+ Rs.100 for daily wage earners.
Planters Association Spokesman Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said that all companies had sent their repudiation letters regarding the Collective Agreement.
He noted that only one method of payment was possible and that which was brought about is the Wages Board model. This is a clear departure from the Collective Agreement and the model that had been proposed by the RPCs calling for productivity based model. (SD)