The Hon. Kitnan Selvaraj

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, the National Minimum Wage of Workers (Amendment) Bill at Second Reading is very important. It comes at a time when private-sector workers face severe problems — wage issues, welfare and housing issues, and even access to drinking water. It is welcome that this Bill is presented now.

¶ 02 Many shouted here about workers, including plantation workers. The National People’s Power and allied unions have consistently called for action to increase plantation wages. Those who ruled earlier handed 449 estates to 22 multinationals, and after 30 years the plantation sector faces severe challenges. The basic wage of plantation workers has become a national and even international issue. Once, plantation issues were confined within estates under colonial rule, then moved to the Wages Board. The ordinary worker’s wage remained low. After estates were privatized, they said increases would be via Collective Agreements. Hon. Mano Ganesan earlier said, instead of wage increases, make workers landowners or stakeholders — we, the National People’s Power, have laid that foundation.

¶ 03 Today, estates belong to multinationals until 2047 by law initiated by those he represented earlier. Immediate state takeover, subdivision to workers, and making them landowners faces constraints, but our Government is working on programs to make workers landowners in the future. Since Collective Agreements are unjust, we have moved to the Wages Board on wage increases.

¶ 04 When plantation wages were discussed in the past, we and our unions in the NPP played a key role, pressing firmly for a Rs. 2,000 daily wage. Our Government has defined the minimum daily wage as Rs. 1,700 while working to secure Rs. 2,000.

¶ 05 Our Government is ready to ensure adequate increases through proper negotiations, even as we must rebuild a country bankrupted by the previous regime and ensure the rights and concessions of all. Negotiations to raise the plantation daily wage to Rs. 2,000 are underway. Once the current Rs. 1,700 process concludes, we are ready to secure Rs. 2,000 daily for plantation workers. We say clearly to the regressive hill-country political leaders who exploited plantation workers like slaves for political gain: our Government stands ready to deliver wage increases to plantation workers. Thank you.