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A group of estate workers had staged a protest opposite the Murray Estate in the Nallathanniya police division demanding a pay hike to Rs.1000 in keeping with the current cost of living.
The agreement signed between the estate owners association and the united unions making the estate workers wage, inclusive of all allowances to rs. 730 per day, had expired last month.
The discussions between the two groups have recommenced in accordance with the rise of the cost of living.
The protesting estate workers said based on the number of days of work assigned by the estate, those who pluck the stipulated weight of tea leaves per day, they are paid Rs. 730, but those who fail to reach that target is paid Rs. 530 per day.
Therefore, the protestors demanded that they be paid a wage of Rs. 1000 per day without conditions.
The protestors staged their protest for around two hours from 8.00 am to 10.00 am and a letter detailing their demands was handed over to the estate superintendent who had assured the protestors that their letter would be handed over to the higher management of the estate.
The protesting estate workers had dispersed after the estate superintendent had accepted their letter.
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