Minimum monthly wage for private sector employees, estate workers to go up: Manusha

The minimum monthly wage of the employees of the private sector and estate workers would be increased, Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said.

 He assured that the minimum wage of private sector employees and of estate workers will be increased in line with the cost of living and the necessary legislation will be tabled in Parliament.

"We need to increase the number of new industries that fit the world by inviting new investors and to create more jobs. Therefore, we need to change the rules and regulations to put in place a plan to improve the quality of jobs.

"Laws discriminating women and men need to be amended and we need to uphold gender equilibrium. We will also have to provide vocational training to the children of workers to build the new world," the Minister said.

He said everyone knows the workers are finding it extremely difficult to get on with their lives these days and it is a truth beyond any doubt. "The cost of food have gone beyond the reach of a common man. It is very hard to find fuel. Therefore, we will have discussions in order to increase the minimum wage of private sector employees and estate workers," the Minister said.

Accordingly, the ministry will impose a fixed minimum wage for private sector employees in the future and to increase the current minimum wage to a decent amount to make them happy, he said.

"Several requests have been made to increase the minimum wage of the estate workers. Therefore, we must discuss ways to increase their salaries. The Ministry is devoted to that cause and we are committed to protecting them," Minister Nanayakkara added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)