PD Saranapala
A strike by plantation workers was supported by comrades of the League for the Fifth International and the Socialist Plantation Workers union in a picket in the city of Ratnapura.
The demand was to increase the wages of the workers up to 500 rupees a day (€3) Currently the plantation workers are paid around 200R (€1.20). These is also general anger at the state of the working conditions in this heavily exploited section of workers, many workers have bad health as a result of over work, bad quality drinking water in their homes and poor access to education for their children.
The protest was featured on the TV stations, highlighting the role of the Socialist Plantation workers union activists.
The strike is not universally supported, the biggest plantation worker union (Thondaman) is in the pocket of the Rajapoakse government and is not giving any support to the workers on strike. Police have attacked several pickets and tried to beat the workers into defeat.
The struggle of plantation workers is very important for the whole of Sri Lanka – every trade unionists and socialists must support his important campaign.
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http://www.srilankaunionsolidarity.com/