RPCs insist wage reforms way forward

Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) in Sri Lanka want to ensure that tea pluckers engage in a fair wage system by moving into the revenueshare model that will be a winwin for both parties.

Planters Association Chairman Senaka Alawattegama told reporters on Tuesday that there is an urgent need to bringing about sweeping reforms to the colonial era daily wage model.

He pointed out that with the current skyrocketing inflation even the workers are gradually beginning to understand the importance of a productivitylinked wage model and so are the trade unions.

In this context, Mr. Alawattegama noted that instead of earning Rs.1000 per day, workers can receive around Rs.50,000 per month and at the same time exercise greater control over the way they work.

PA Spokesman and Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai explained that this revenueshare model will be beneficial to the tea estate community as it would ensure they earn more and engage in flexible working hours.

He pointed out while one of the concerns of the trade unions was that the workers will start to lose their benefits under this model, benefits will continue to be offered to workers.

With the increasing cost of production the industry is faced with a dire need to engage workers in plucking more to increase the revenue on the estates.

Costs have nearly tripled and this has caused a serious concern with fertiliser prices increasing from Rs.25 per kg to the present day Rs.215 per kg. Similarly all other costs have also risen in prices like fuel, fuel for dryer, produce transport, packing materials, power and staff salary.

Dr. Rajadurai pointed out that some of the estate workers who have been working in Colombo now opt to come back to the estates prefer working on the revenue-share model.