Workers strike in Harrisons Malayalam estate enters fourth day

Thiruvananthapuram: Women workers in four plantation estates of Harrisons Malayalam in Idukki district continued their strike for the fourth day Sunday demanding higher wages and bonus.

The government is yet to take any steps to resolve the issue.

Devikulam MLA S Rajendran and CPI-M former district secretary M. M. Mani met the women plantation workers and announced their support to the strike.

Meanwhile, the management of Kannan Devan Hills Plantations in Munnar distributed bonus to the workers. The company spent around Rs 10 cr to given bonus to its 12,500 employees.

The workers of another plantation in Thenmala in Kollam had also begun stir on Thursday demanding 20 per cent bonus, wage revision and improvement in facilities at their labour camps.

Munnar women tea plantation workers agitation assumed significance as they won their stir by keeping the trade unions at bay.

They ended their nine-day-old agitation after the management of Kannan Devan Hills Plantations agreed to their major demands in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The women workers had demanded 20 per cent bonus and Rs 500 as daily wages.