The demand of the upcountry plantation workers for the wage increase has not been resolved yet. It is being dragged on without a solution like the ethnic problem in the country.

These workers have been on a strike for the last 10 days. They have forgotten their trade union identities and they have shed their political differences and united together to fight for their wage increase.

There have been agitations, demonstrations and non violent protests in all parts of the upcountry during the last 10 days to pressurize the management to consider their demand favourably. The deliberations between the trade unions and the Employers’ Federation to sort out this demand for wage increase have failed.

The upcountry has been paralyzed by this strike. Many social organizations and upcountry traders have extended their support and their sympathy for the workers on strike. Several shops in several towns have remained closed.

The trade unions of the estate workers have discussed this issue with President Rajapakse and Labour Minister Athavuda Seneviratne but they could not reach any compromise. If this situation is allowed to continue, the workers may be frustrated leading to violence.

Now that the estate workers are united under one umbrella, we appeal to the plantation trade unions to shed their petty differences and work together in the larger interest of the estate workers.

An English translation of the Editorial in Virakesari, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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