Estate workers to receive Rs.1000 daily wage

by Staff Writer 15-01-2020 | 8:53 PM

Colombo (News 1st): The Cabinet has approved the proposal to increase the daily wage of estate workers to Rs. 1000, with effect from March 1st. Co-cabinet spokesperson Bandula Gunawardena stated that the decision to increase the wages of workers were taken at yesterday's cabinet meeting. He made the revelation at the Cabinet decisions media briefing held earlier today.

Minister Bandula Gunawardena: This was done based on a special request by Minister Thondaman. So the proposal was granted approval and will come into effect on March 1st. Journalist: Did you talk to them? Min. Ramesh Pathirana: We have spoken to them. Taking into consideration the fact that we are going to provide fertilizer free, they should be able to manage the situation. Journalist: Most of the plantation companies say they cannot afford this? Min. Ramesh Pathirana: No, we should be able to. Because we have given so much of relief in the form of reduction of VAT, NBT, economic service charges and also there is a moratorium in relation to the loans they have taken. We have given the grace period. We are going to cut down interest rates. So considering all of that they should be able to fall in line and provide the relief to the estate workers.

The daily wages of estate workers at this point is Rs. 700 a day. As per joint agreements signed last year, Rs. 50 was added to this amount, and to receive it, the worker would have to meet the daily target of 18 kgs. Estate workers while thanking the President for the decision, requested that this gets added to their basic salary. They note that if not added to the basic salary they will not receive the money. Meanwhile, State Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage noted that as this can be difficult for estates, they will pass the money to the tea board and pass it to the companies through them. He added that they will put this into action from the 1st and will also sign the joint agreement. He stressed that this is a promise they gave the Tamil people at the election.