Nearly three lakh plantation workers, employed in different estates in Kerala, on Monday began an indefinite strike to demand wage hike and 20 per cent bonus. CPI-M state secretary and AITUC leader Kanam Rajendran said 99 per cent of the total three lakh plantation work force in public and private sectors are on strike. "Workers from all plantations including tea, rubber, coffee and cardamom are participating in the strike," he said.
When asked about the scheduled Plantation Labour Committee (PLC) meeting here on Tuesday, Rajendran said the collective decision of all trade unions in the sector was to ensure that there is no
compromise made on its demand for daily wage of Rs 500. AITUC, CITU, INTUC, BMS and several small trade unions are participating in the strike. However, a section of women workers at Kannan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) in Munnar is not participating in the stir called by United Trade Unions.