Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Plantations Convention, 1958 (No. 110) - Sri Lanka (Ratification: 1995)

Part I of the Convention (General provisions), Articles 1–4. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that while the national legislation is in conformity with the provisions of Parts V, VI and X of the Convention, it has not yet been decided whether or not the formal acceptance of obligations could be extended to these Parts. In this connection, the Committee notes the comments made by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) according to which there may be difficulties in the formal acceptance of the obligations under the abovementioned Parts of the Convention, since, for instance, there is no uniformity in the annual leave entitlement of plantation workers with each wages board determining different conditions, and also because weekly rest in the plantation sector is not a paid holiday. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed of any progress made with respect to the possible acceptance of obligations arising out of Parts V, VI and X of the Convention. In addition, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the implementation and outcome of specific programmes and activities undertaken under the National Plantation Industry Policy Framework 2006 and the National Plan of Action for the Social Development of the Plantation Community 2006.

Part IV (Wages), Articles 24–35. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to the collective agreement of 4 April 2013 for the tea and rubber growing industries, jointly concluded between the Ceylon Workers Congress, Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union and Joint Plantations Trade Union Centre and the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon. The new collective agreement provides for a minimum wage of 620 Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) (approximately US$4.7) per day. The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of this collective agreement.