Workers in Kerala's plantation sector are all set to receive a wage increase of Rs 52 per day following the Plantation Labour Committee's decision to hike wages in the tea, rubber, cardamom and coffee sectors.

The wage increase will be effective from January 1, 2019. The interim relief given to workers from February this year will be adjusted against the increase, and the arrears will be distributed before March 31, 2020.

A decision to this effect was taken at the Plantation Labour Committee’s meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram under the chairmanship of the State Labour Minister, T.P. Ramakrishnan, where members of the Association of Planters of Kerala (APK), trade union leaders representing the workers and state government officials were present.

The meeting also took note of the crisis being faced by the plantation sector in the state, especially after the two floods in 2018 and 2019, and the subsequent landslides.

Under the new wage agreement, the wages of tea workers has been enhanced to Rs 380.38 per day from the current level of Rs 328.38. The increase in basic salary, coupled with other statutory benefits, will be around Rs 600 per day.

For the rubber sector, the new salary will be Rs 460.40 per day, from the existing Rs 408.40. The total emoluments with other statutory benefits will be Rs 723 per day.

The wages of cardamom workers has been increased to Rs 409.38 from Rs 357.38 per day and the total salary combined with all the statutory benefits would come to Rs 642.73 per day.

In the coffee sector, the new wages will be Rs 385.38 from the existing Rs 333.38 per day. The total emoluments would come to Rs 602 per day.

“The plantation industry is going through one of its worst financial crisis. However, as responsible employers, we are committed to improving the life of workers and have agreed to provide a wage increase so as to meet the aspirations of the workforce even in these difficult times,” said B.P. Kariappa, Chairman, APK.

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