By Skandha Gunasekara
The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) or any other stakeholder among plantation companies had been consulted or informed over the budget proposal to increase the daily wage of estate workers to Rs. 1,000, The Morning learnt.
PA Chairman Bathiya Bulumulla said they were not aware of the Government’s intentions regarding the budget proposal.
[caption id="attachment_105599" align="alignleft" width="300"]
PA Chairman Bathiya Bulumulla[/caption]
“We don’t know what they plan to do. We have not been told whether the Government would facilitate the increment to the Rs. 1000 daily wage or whether we are expected to do so. We were not consulted in any way in this regard,” he said.
He said that in the case the regional plantation companies (RPCs) were expected to make the contribution, then negotiations would need to take place.
“We will have to go for negotiations because we cannot simply make such an increment as the tea industry would collapse. We are not against the increment, but we believe the method by which such an increment is made and the wages paid should be negotiated as we cannot afford to make such an increment without some sort of concession.”
PA Chairman Bathiya Bulumulla[/caption]
“We don’t know what they plan to do. We have not been told whether the Government would facilitate the increment to the Rs. 1000 daily wage or whether we are expected to do so. We were not consulted in any way in this regard,” he said.
He said that in the case the regional plantation companies (RPCs) were expected to make the contribution, then negotiations would need to take place.
“We will have to go for negotiations because we cannot simply make such an increment as the tea industry would collapse. We are not against the increment, but we believe the method by which such an increment is made and the wages paid should be negotiated as we cannot afford to make such an increment without some sort of concession.”