Plantation workers’ pay rise halved, told to harvest more tea

Tea plantation owners sighed with relief after the Court of Appeal cut wage increment for workers to 16 per cent from the 30 per cent awarded earlier by the High Court.

The increment will be split into two with eight per cent to be given for 2014 and the balance for 2015, the court said. The High Court had given 15 per cent for each year, but the large tea farmers disagreed with it and appealed.