Thondaman plans CWC shuffle

The top leadership of the crisis-ridden Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) officials has stepped down on the orders of party leader Arumugam Thondaman, so that he could reshuffle the positions amidst growing differences over whether to accept cabinet ministerial positions or remain as an independent group in Parliament.

Mr. Thondaman on Friday instructed those holding party posts to step down, enabling him make the changes at the national convention likely to be held in October. The convention is held every three years. Accordingly, except Mr. Thondaman, who holds the posts of President and General Secretary, and Treasurer Muttu Sivalingam, all others, including the five Vice Presidents, stepped down on Friday.

The Sunday Times learns that changes are to be made within the party and among them is to be the replacement of M.S. Sellasamy on health reasons. He returned from India two days ago after eye surgery.

The changes within the party come into place with the increasing differences among senior members about their decision to withdraw from the Cabinet. Three former Vice Presidents, Mr. Sellasamy, Muttu Sivalingam and R. Yogararjan, are among those who have taken up the position that the party should unconditionally support the government and accept the ministerial and deputy minister positions.

One of the main issues concerning the party members has been the government going ahead to negotiate for a wages structure for the estate labourers, despite the CWC signing a collective agreement with the plantation companies in November last year agreeing that there would be no wage increase for the next two years.But, Labour Minister Athuda Seneviratne told Sunday Times yesterday that the Labour ministry on the instructions of President Rajapaksa was discussing with the plantation companies a wage increase for the estate workers.

“We will be able to reach a consensus soon with the companies,” Mr. Seneviratne said. This is the first time the government has initiated discussions with plantation companies to work out a wage increase. The CWC also has been facing a crisis due to the inability to keep to its promises to the estate workers, after it withdrew from the ministerial and deputy ministry positions in August.

The government has stepped up development activities in the estate sector in an apparent bid to woo the estate workers. The Government has decided to allocate Rs. 3,500 million to develop hospitals in the estate sector and appoint 200 Tamil speaking employees to hospitals there. Several electricity projects have also been launched. Some of the CWC initiated projects in the estate sector including housing development projects are being now directly handled by the government.