Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan has demanded the inclusion of Rs. 2000 as minimum wage for plantation workers in the government’s upcoming budget proposals. 

Addressing the Parliament yesterday, MP Mano Ganesan stated he anticipates a Rs.2000 minimum daily wage for plantation workers, pointing out that they are the most marginalized segment in Sri Lanka.

“Unless and until plantation workers are taken care of, they cannot be considered equal citizens,” he stressed. 

MP Mano Ganesan pointed out that together with him, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake co-sponsored Motions on Plantation workers in the last Parliament. 

Stating that the government may grant relief in cess levy tax on tea exports to Plantation companies, he urged the government to instruct Regional Plantation Companies to pay a minimum wage of Rs. 2000. 

MP Mano Ganesan further called upon the President of the JVP’s Plantation trade union, the All Ceylon Plantation Workers Union Kitnan, who is an NPP MP in the incumbent Parliament, to join hands with Tamil Progressive Alliance on this issue. (Newswire)

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A Gazette notification has been issued by the Wages Board on providing Rs. 1700 as daily minimum wage for an estate worker from the tea and rubber industries of Sri Lanka.

As per the Gazette notification, Rs. 1350 will be provided as a daily wage and Rs. 350 will be given as a productivity incentive.

Dated 13 August 2024, the Gazette states objections to the aforesaid proposal will be received by the Chairman of the Board until 12.00 pm on 28 August 2024. 

It further states every objection should be submitted in writing with a statement indicating the reasons for such objection.

Gazette : http://documents.gov.lk/files/egz/2024/8/2397-27_E.pdf 

The government initially proposed to increase the daily minimum wage of an estate worker to Rs. 1700, but the move was opposed by several plantation companies, claiming they were unable to provide such pay.

The government’s decision to issue a Gazette notification on the increased minimum daily wage was also challenged in the Supreme Court.

The court ordered the Gazette to be cancelled and for the minimum daily wage to be paid by the Wages Board.

Accordingly, the Wages Board during a meeting held this week agreed to increase the daily minimum wage for an estate worker to Rs. 1700 and has issued a Gazette notification accordingly. (Newswire)

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The writ petition that was filed by 21 plantation companies challenging the Gazette issued increasing the daily minimum wage of an estate worker to Rs. 1700, was withdrawn from the Court of Appeal today.

A Gazette was issued earlier in May by the Ministry of Labour declaring that the minimum daily wage of a plantation worker would be increased to Rs. 1700.

In July, the government’s move was challenged in court by 21 plantation companies seeking a writ order invalidating the Gazette notification.

Following this, the Labour Ministry issued another Gazette cancelling the Gazette previously issued increasing the daily minimum wage of an estate worker from the tea and rubber industries to Rs. 1700 and directed the payments to be made through the Wages Board.

The writ petition filed by the 21 plantation companies against the increase in daily wage was taken up before Court of Appeal justices Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola today. 

During the hearing, the lawyer representing the plantation companies had presented facts before the justices, and as the said Gazette notification had been cancelled by the government, had requested to withdraw the writ petition that was filed challenging it. (Newswire) 

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