Estate workers staged protests outside the residence of billionaire businessman Dhammika Perera, the Tea Planters Association, and the Ministry of Labour on 9 July, demanding an increase in their daily wages. 

Despite reports of substantial profits by tea companies during Sri Lanka's economic crisis, the daily wage for tea estate workers remains at Rs. 1000 (about $3). Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) have yet to raise the minimum daily wage to meet the Fair Trade minimum living wage standard of Rs. 1700 (about $5).