CWC calls off protest, settles for Rs.280

[TamilNet, Thursday, 15 March 2001, 13:04 GMT]
The Ceylon Workers Congress called off its Satyagraha (protest) campaign Thursday, settling for a nine-rupee raise in the daily wage for tea workers. Instead of granting the 400-rupee monthly cost of living allowance demanded by the protesting work force and the CWC, the tea companies agreed to a 9 rupee (11 US cents) raise and also to pay a 5-rupee per day conditional work incentive (the current daily wage is 107 rupees-1.24 USD).

"If the monthly attendance of a worker is 70 percent he or she would be paid an incentive of 5 rupees for each of work during the month. Therefore if a plantation worker does 20 days a month, which is the average for the majority of the labour force, he or she would get 280 rupees (3.24 USD) extra. This is the deal we worked out today", a senior CWC official told TamilNet at the conclusion of six hours of heated negotiations in Colombo Thursday.

Sri Lanka's Minister for Labour Mr. Alavai Moulana, the chief mediator, Mr. S.B Disanayaka, Junior Deputy Minister for Finance, Presidentís Secretary Mr. Kusumsri Balapatabendi and Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. D Jayaratna and representatives of the tea companies took part in the negotiations with the CWC.

The CWC began the Satyagraha protest on 19 February.