A token strike was launched yesterday by plantation sector workers to protest the unprecedented increase in fuel prices and the resultant rise in the cost of living.

The token strike which badly affected the plantation sector was organised by the United National Party (UNP) led Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU), the Democratic Workers Congress (DWC) led by Mano Ganesan and the Ceylon Workers Alliance.

LJEWU General Secretary K. Velayudam said some 70 per cent of the workers had kept away from work. He said a strong message was being sent to the government through this strike and pointed out that estates in Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Badulla and other areas were paralysed.

Mr. Velaydam said the estate workers were directly affected by the fuel price hike because they use kerosene for cooking and the steep rise in the price of a litre of Kerosene by Rs.31. (Yohan Perera)