Supreme Court halts wage increase for plantation workers

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has issued an interim injunction preventing the implementation of the Gazette notification by the Labour Minister to increase the daily wage of plantation workers to Rs. 1,700.

This decision was made during the hearing of an appeal by plantation companies, including Agarapathana Plantations Ltd, against the Gazette mandating a minimum wage for plantation workers.

The order, issued by a three-member bench comprising Justices Gamini Amarasekara, Kumuduni Wickramasinghe, and Janak de Silva, will remain effective until the petition’s hearing concludes.

The petition, filed by 21 plantation companies including Agarapathana Plantations Ltd, seeks to invalidate the Gazette notification.

The petitioners argue that the Labour Minister’s decision to set the minimum daily wage at Rs. 1,350, with additional allowances of Rs. 300 and Rs. 80, was made without consulting them, thus violating the principle of natural justice.

They claim the decision was arbitrary and request the court to invalidate it.

The next hearing is scheduled for August 28.