Jeevan raises red flag to RPCs over mistreatment of estate workers

Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure and General Secretary of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress,?Jeevan Thondaman, has raised the red flag on the mistreatment of estate workers by Regional Plantation Companies (RPC).

Thondman posted a statement in X (formerly Twutter) saying the Government is looking at restructuring the entire RPC model.

He raised concerns over footage circulating on social media showing estate workers eating their meals in poor and unhygienic conditions.

“If estate workers are sitting on the ground to eat and lack basic facilities at their place of employment, the questions should be asked directly from the plantation companies (RPCs) why they continue to provide deplorable working conditions for their employees. When I started the field room programme to provide a simple room in the estates for tea pluckers to rest, eat and use the washroom, the RPCs barely made any contribution towards them,” the Minister said.

He said that a situation has arisen where the Government has to fund for toilets and basic facilities for employees of large conglomerates.

“We have come to the absurd situation where the Government has to fund for toilets and basic facilities for employees of large conglomerates. I can?t think of any other major Sri Lankan company that treats their employees in the deplorable way some RPCs do. When you look at how large apparel companies such as MAS Holdings treat their workers and how the RPCs do, it?s world?s apart,” he said.

The Minister said the Government is updating its employment laws to hold all employers accountable for the working conditions and facilities they provide their workers, especially in the tea estates.

He also said that the present leases (entered into decades ago), which make RPCs mini kingdoms with almost absolute power over swathes of Sri Lankan land and everyone living on them, must change. (Colombo Gazette)