Plantation workers will get a huge financial benefit if they move to the productivity based model, Former Chairman and Media Spokesperson, The Planters’ Association of Ceylon Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said, speaking in a webinar yesterday.
He said that the workers through trade unions and political means are requesting for a daily wage of Rs. 1,000 but ‘Productivity based model’ will give them a bigger take home pay pack.
He said that one of the biggest overheads for the plantation industry are labour costs and Productivity based model similar to that is adopted by Tea Small Holders will also create a more productive work force and increase yield in the plantation sector.
He said the plantation sector cannot operate on the wage model that was adopted by the British centuries ago, who were very tough administrators and even in India a new plantation wage model was implemented two decades ago. “I assure that a productivity based model will defiantly increase the take home pay of productive employees.”
Regional Plantation companies were creased in 1974 after the 1971 privatization model found that the state plantation companies were running at a loss. “We turned around the losses but due to high wages increases RPC’s made a year on year loss of Rs. 6 billion last year.”
Planters’ Association of Ceylon Chairman Bhathiya Bulumulla said that they have been looking after the plantation sector during the COVID-19 pandemic with great care and there have been no job cuts or any other restrictions despite lowing of profits.
He said that the current two year wage model on the plantation sector will come for review in 2021 January and requested the trade unions to think in a more positive and productive manner to implement this new model which would be a ‘win win’ model for all stakeholders. The new model will also bring back dignity to plantation workers and the younger generation who come for ‘odd jobs’ in Colombo too would remain in the plantation sector.
