ABSTRACT
In September 2009, nearly half a million workers in tea and rubber plantations ended a “non-cooperation” protest with an agreement to increase the daily wage to 405 rupees ($US3.50) for another two years. The protest, which originally demanded a daily wage of 750 rupees, was launched by all the major plantation unions (CWC, LJEWU and JPTUC). This struggle brought the tea sector to a halt, similar to the 2006 protest, with exporters scrambling to fill their orders and the government concerned about the loss of revenue. Key union leaders were also part of the ruling coalition government, which meant watering down the protest and demands. The government and employers tried to contain the strike through threats of violence and attempted to discredit the strike as undermining “national security”.
