The Supreme Court is this week due to hear the case filed by the Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PAC), appealing the gazette which increased the daily wage for plantation workers to Rs. 1,700.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, PAC Spokesperson Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said that the Supreme Court would hear the PAC’s appeal on the increase in the daily wage on Tuesday (18) or Wednesday (19). 

“We appealed for a stay order on the gazette from the Appeal Court as well but that wasn’t granted on technical grounds,” said Dr. Rajadurai. “Either way, we will be able to receive a final determination on the matter by the end of the month and will have to implement new changes, if any, from the July salary cycle.”

On 1 May, the Government issued a gazette determining the minimum wage of plantation sector workers as Rs. 1,700 (daily wage – Rs. 1,350 and daily special allowance – Rs. 350). 

However, the PAC, on behalf of the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs), filed a petition seeking a writ order to invalidate it. 

Despite the gazette, workers’ unions are stating that workers are yet to see the new daily wages. 

“Workers haven’t received the benefit of this gazette yet,” All Ceylon Estate Workers’ Union President Kithnan Selvaraj told The Sunday Morning. 

Following the privatisation of the plantation industry in 1992, the daily wage of an estate worker has been determined through the collective agreement that was signed between representatives of the RPCs and the estate workers every two years since 1998. 

However, in 2021, after the two sides failed to reach an agreement, the matter was taken before a Wages Board convened by the Labour Department. 

Although it was decided to raise the daily wage to Rs. 1,000, 20 RPCs then went on to file a writ application at the Court of Appeal, challenging the Government gazette that mandated the wage.