Over 1000 workers gathered at Karumalai Estate near Valparai demanding timely monthly wages and better working conditions. Police deployment exceeds 100 personnel amidst peaceful protest.
Coimbatore: In a significant labour action, over 1000 workers from Karumalai Estate near Valparai staged a protest demanding their employers to disburse monthly salaries by the 10th of each month and improve the provision of promised benefits.
The estate, which encompasses Karumalai, Akkamalai, Oosimalai, Vellamalai, Nadumalai, and Kanchamalai, employs over 5000 workers across its sprawling tea gardens.
The workers are pressing for benefits including a daily wage of Rs 450, a weekly off, medical facilities, paid leaves, and appropriate equipment for plantation work. The gathering formed in front of the Karumalai Estate office, where the workers staged a skip-work protest to voice their grievances. They claimed that the management has failed to meet these conditions for several years, often delaying monthly payments until the 15th to 20th, making it difficult for them to sustain their living and manage educational expenses for their children.
Today, with the arrival of the estate owner, protesters aim to directly convey their issues in hopes of resolving their long-standing demands.
In response, more than 100 police officers have been deployed at the site to ensure that the protest remains peaceful.