Indefinite strike by Tree Climbers
More than 250 workers of areca nut plantations at Mettupalayam, more than 40 km north of the city on way to Udhagamandalam, are on an indefinite strike demanding higher wages.Wages Arecanut-Coconut Tree Climbers Welfare Association claimed on Thursday that the plucking of nuts was not being done over the last three days in protest against the poor wages and also the "slavery" meted out to them.Association secretary A. Nagaraj said that wages in Mettupalayam and also at nearby Kallar and Nellithurai were paid in the form of five nuts a bunch for each worker. Each nut was valued at 20 paise."For many years, we are being paid Rs. 1 a bunch. At the end of nearly 14 hours of work, we take home a wage of Rs. 250, which is too low," he said.Mr. Nagaraj pointed out that areca nut plucking was fraught with risk to lives. "Unlike the work on coconut trees, we have to swing from one areca tree to the other. Many workers have fallen and broken their hands or legs or even died. But, they or the affected families have not been compensated by the owners or the lessees of the plantations," he said.
Mettupalayam region had about 500 acres of areca nut plantations and the yield on each acre was 25 bags of nuts, weighing 50 kg each. The peak season was only for six months from August. And, it was totally a dull season for four months from April.During this phase, the workers were forced to do household work for the plantation owners, Mr. Nagaraj claimed.He also alleged that the workers were not paid for this work and it was just a continuation of the slavery that was on for 50 years."Our earlier generations were willing to work under any condition and this has been thrust on us too," he complained.
"Workers in severe financial problems take an advance of Rs. 1,000 to Rs.10,000 and are, therefore, forced to work in the houses of the owners," Mr. Nagaraj said.The association secretary said the plantations in Thondamuthur, Sundapalayam and Narsipuram that were closer to the city did not have such a wage problem. "Workers in these areas are paid at the rate of Rs. 30 a bag and no extra work, even outside the plantations, is extracted from them."Mr. Nagaraj alleged that the workers in Mettupalayam began work at 6 a.m. by milking the cows belonging to the plantation owners and returned home only at 9 p.m.The matter has been taken up with the Department of Labour, he said. The strike was resorted to only after the plantation owners did not respond to the association's notice and the "genuine" demands of the workers, Mr. Nagaraj alleged.
