Plantation workers in the central hills have launched a hartal throughout the plantation sector, to force the plantation companies to increase the basic daily wage of plantation workers to 1,000 rupees.
Plantation sector union and political party, the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) today (Jan. 05) has made arrangements to launch a hartal campaign in the plantation sector demanding the plantation companies to increase the basic daily
Plantation workers across the estates have removed themselves from work and no plantation workers have reported for work today.
Trade associations in the plantation towns including Hatton, Bogawantalawa, Norwood, Maskeliya, Kotagala and Talawakelle have taken steps to close all the shops in the plantation areas today in solidarity with the estate workers.
Some teachers in Tamil schools in the plantation areas have reported sick leave and supported the hartal campaign, Neth News reported.
Private buses plying short distances in the plantation areas have also withdrawn from operations in support of the hartal. SLTB buses and long distance private buses continue to operate as usual.
Employees of a private garment factory in the Norwood area had reported to work as usual but the garment factory had to suspend operations at the request of the chairman of the Norwood Pradeshiya Sabha of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) to support the hartal
The plantation companies have submitted a proposal to the plantation unions proposing to increase the daily wage of a plantation worker to Rs. 1000. Top officials of the plantation companies stated that a discussion between the two parties in this regard will be held in Colombo on the 8th of this month.