President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed key officials and Departments to protect workers from potential lawsuits from plantation employers over the proposed increased wages.
President Wickremesinghe has instructed Labour Minister Manusha Nanayakkara and other officials to provide legal advice and support for workers in response to potential legal action from employers in the plantation sector including Plantation Management Companies (PMCs). The President’s directive follows the announcement of a wage increase for plantation workers to Rs.1,700 per day, during a May Day rally in Kotagala. Minister Nanayakkara spoke on the salary adjustments. Labour Commissioner General issued a special Gazette notification in this connection. The Planters Association said it will challenge the wage increases in Court, citing a lack of prior consultation with PMCs and other estate companies. However, the Government said that the employers had previously reneged on implementing the wage hike.
Minister Nanayakkara told the Sunday Observer that despite repeated attempts to engage the Planters Association in discussions, they had only evaded the issue, opting to seek legal recourse.
