ILO holds 1st national dialogue for policy blueprint on future of work in tea plantation sector in S

By Charumini de Silva

The International Labour Organization (ILO) yesterday facilitated the first national dialogue to shape a set of conclusions for a policy blueprint on the future of work in the tea plantation sector in Sri Lanka. 

The objective of the national dialogue was to identify the various drivers of change that will affect the tea plantations sector as well as the key policies that can transform tea plantations into a dynamic sector and a driver of growth, employment, improved livelihoods for women and men in rural Sri Lanka. 

Delivering the opening remarks ILO Country Director Simrin Singh pointed out that this first very opportune consultation and dialogue was imperative to introduce what the future might hold for Sri Lanka’s tea industry and exporters in going forward. 

Given the long history of Sri Lanka’s plantation industry particularly in the tea sector completing 150 years, she said there were a number of issues to grapple with the demographic changes coupled with all other factors. 

“With an aging population, youth not keen on working on the plantation sector, opportunities of privatisation, market liberalisation, contract farming and other issues that the industry is struggling with, it is imperative to reflect now to chart the way forward,” she added. 

In this era of future of work that has become the buzzword where people often wonder about technological change and digital transformation, Singh confirmed that ILO will soon release a framework on this regard.

“When we talk about future of work, it is not about robots, but it’s about people, tripartite elements to make up the fabric that the ILO has been doing for almost 100 years. We have a global commission on the future of work and the ILO has been leading this effort. We would be coming out with a solid piece of work on what it means to have a future of work very strongly next year,” she pointed out.Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) Vice President Sandanam Arulsamy said that it was critical to come to a consensus between estate workers and RPCs in mapping out the future of the plantation industry in Sri Lanka.

“Most of the RPCs are taking care of their workers to a certain extent, but at least at this time they have opened their eyes to discuss about the future of plantation. For the plantation industry to survive the workers issues needs to be taken care of. They have to live like other workers of the country,” he added.

Labour migration, adapting technology, climate changes were highlighted as key challenges of the sector. 

“We need to discuss and resolve issues in the labour market. Some of the workers are not getting paid even $3.5 per day, so then how can we retain them in the industry and attract new people to the industry? We need solutions for these in planning out for a policy paper on future of the work in plantation industry,” Arulsamy stressed. 

Considering the importance of the plantation industry economically and demographically, Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Director General Kanishka Weerasinghe said that industry stakeholders will soon decide on key issues in relation to a collective agreement as how the plantations are going to be managed and how work will be carried on the estates. 

He noted that stepping away from the contentious issue of wages, RPCs over the years has taken a lot of strategies in terms of managing their estates in the long term despite many policy inconsistencies.

“I am happy to note that there has been meeting of minds somewhere in relation to how work should be managed. Similarly, I hope this will also reflect in relation to the wage system that we are hoping to agree on,” he added.

Weerasinghe outlined the importance of ensuring continuity of the plantations industry in a sustainable and resilient manner, insisting its national contribution to the economy in providing employment, better livelihood and foreign exchange through exports.

“I think the plantation industry as a whole will continue and be stronger than ever before. This national dialogue will lead to a holistic approach in tackling issues and understanding each other, which I think should be the end objective of all stakeholders,” he emphasised.

Representatives of government institutions, plantation companies and employers’ organisations, trade unions and tea smallholders’ cooperatives, academia and research organisations also participated at the discussion.

Pix by Sameera Wijesinghe