Cabinet approval granted to increase estate sector daily wages to Rs 1000

Cabinet has approved a proposal by the Minister of Labour to take necessary to steps to increase estate sector employee daily wage to Rs 1000.

The Government noted that estate sector employees are currently eligible for a daily wage / remuneration of Rs 750 including a fixed price allowance of Rs 50 and another allowance named over kilo rate if the fixed weight of kilograms exceeds related to productivity. 

The Budget proposals presented to Parliament in November 2020 proposed a daily wage of Rs 1000 for the estate sector. After several rounds of discussions between the various parties, an "Estate employee salaries collective agreement 2019-2020" was signed. However, one party; Ceylon Employers' Association, representing the Estate Owners' Association, which is one party of the collective agreement, has proposed to increase the daily wage up to Rs 920. 

Considering these facts, Cabinet has approved a resolution furnished by the Minister of Labour to take necessary steps to increase employee wages of the estate sector up to Rs 1000 across control boards so that the Budget proposal would be implemented, the Government stated.