Tea workers on indefinite strike from today

Workers involved in the manufacture of the world’s best Ceylon Tea on Tuesday launched an indefinite strike action islandwide.

The largest estate workers’ union the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) Vice President S. Arullsamy told Times Online that their workers have resorted to an indefinite strike action until they achieve their demands of being paid Rs.1000 per day.

He noted that they had attempted to carry out negotiations with the Employers Federation and the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) and talks have failed.

The EFC and the RPCs are adamant, Mr. Arullsamy said adding that “they feel they are comfortable but we will make them uncomfortable”.

He pointed out that their workers were suffering and that all estate unions have joined in launching the strike action.

The CWC also expects to work with other private sector unions to join their strike action by resorting to protests or striking through their respective unions in a show of solidarity with them.

In addition, they expect support from international trade unions as well and noted that they also would ensure that Ceylon Tea stocks would not be unloaded in London which had been achieved in the past as well.

Estate workers trade unions and the plantation companies have been in discussion over the past few months seeking the renewal of the Collective Agreement with an increase in wages up to Rs.1000 per day. But RPCs continue to insist on the affordable all-inclusive wage hike of Rs.940 or the proposed Rs.46 per kilo with Rs.600 as gratuity.

The last wage hike had seen an increase in the basic wage up to Rs.500 which workers today want to increase to Rs.1000 but the RPCs complain they could ill-afford such a high increase and can only push for a 20 per cent hike that would boost the basic wage to Rs.600.

RPCs state that due to the difficulties faced by them in selling Ceylon Tea in its key markets of Russia, Iran and Japan they were unable to achieve the big export orders and yields were dropping as a result of which the prices were also dropping. (Sunimalee)