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by Steve Morrell

"Apocalypse.......?" This is not going to be a sequel to the Leon Uris epic 'Exodus,' but one that would convey impending problems in the plantations where there is now a serious manpower crisis which could be threatening the very existence of the estate sector.

The plantion community, from shacks to cottages

Gone are the days of smooth influx of one generation automatically moving into fill vacancies to take over job functions from elders in a close - shop context of self- containment. More to the point, the predicament unfolding is not dis-similar to a paradox perspective, where the general accepted norm is that there is still 10% unemployment in the country, but simultaneously the plantations complain of labour shortages.

Contrary to common belief, tea, specifically, is still the largest net foreign exchange earner in the country. The plantations are heavily taxed. And the mainstay of the economy is still tea. Most other industries enjoy Government patronage through tax holidays, fiscal incentives, subsidised plant and machinery in-puts; the list is long and exhaustive. Nevertheless, apart from bridging the unemployment gap, these industries, and the numerous BOI projects, need heavy influx of imports which in consequence forces expatriation of funds before they could make a significant impact on the economy.

To exist and grow they have had a generous helping of Government largess and patronage bordering on fraternal leniency.

The changing scene: a new concept to the old line room. Value addition through dignity

The tea Industry in itself is perhaps robust, and over the years developed an ingrained resilience to function even in times of monetary crisis. As experienced at the present time, the plantations are literally staggering under the retrograde situation of poor prices which has had shattering consequences on routine plantation management. They have in fact been taken for granted assuming that planters and plantation companies would 'somehow' sort themselves out and get back on even keel rather than succumb to the vagaries of impulsive action. The domino reaction of this down-turn has affected an important segment of the factor of production on the plantations; that being manpower. In short, the workers.

Outmigration

The stark fact is that plantation workers are not interested in employment on estates. This applies mainly to young people who shun plantation work and prefer employment in towns and more in context, have been attracted to the garments industry, and other urban employment. The plantations complain of 15% reduction in the workforce which has seriously affected production. Workers in employment are aging. All indications are that this certainly complicates management of these holdings which in the long run would cause irreparable damage to the industry. Worse; workers in the 35 to 45 age group opt for premature retirement which in consequence precipitates a precarious situation of deadly proportions.

What caused this predicament would need careful examination. The Plantation Human Development Trust who have been intimately involved in social development in the plantations have addressed this issue and the aftermath of their conclusions revealed that the low profile stigma attached to the estate worker had caused outflow of manpower from the sector. This phenomenon was revealed through grass roots level enquiry which they conducted over an extended time frame through broad-based surveys.

Surprisingly wages was not a major issue. It did form part of the quotient but the indignity attached to the job culminated in their resolve that youth would not automatically seek estate work, but would rather work in Colombo, even at low wages. In a sliding scale of 1 to 5, plantation work was the last choice on their list. Could this be a localised phenomenon, or is it the same in other countries as well? Before this aspect is explored, closer inspection of the prevailing circumstances would be of concurrent interest.

What does an estate offer its workers? The latitude of benefits, although not yet ranked at optimum expectations, could be placed at a degree of improvement which is now not inconsiderable. The old lineroom image is gradually being replaced by the self-help housing schemes implemented since 1993. A worker family is allocated an extent of 7 perches land to build a house, initially to a type plan, through a Rs. 40,000 loan repayable in 15 years. They are charged a lease rental for the land at Rs. 4/25 per perch per year, for the loan period. On cessation of the loan, the family becomes de facto owners of the land and the house. Additionally site infrastructure, including water supply, toilet, and in some instances the kitchen as well is provided free. (And they have constructed some smart houses).

Driving-up country these days a traveller could see these new housing colonies taking shape which form a salutary aspect to the landscape. There are now approximately 13,000 self-help houses either completed or nearing completion, which indicates that meaningful steps have been implemented to address this long-standing issue which caused trauma and industrial turmoil in years gone by. Certainly, critics would say this is only the tip of the iceberg. And has caused hardly a dent in damage control. True. When considering there are yet 133,368 old linerooms in existence, the already constructed accommodation would seem minimal, and a proverbial drop in the ocean. Nontheless the perception that this group of people have been ignored is gradually being eroded. What else does plantation life offer workers?

The list is not quite that long although taken as a package it cannot be described as extremely bad. It certainly is a far cry from regimentation and captive environment at time of nationalisation, and later during State ownership. What they now get in addition to housing options, are quality childcare, family health, sanitation, water, the advantage of job security, medical attention, benefits of the estate worker housing cooperative societies and an improved job environment.

The donors

There is now an on-going social development programme put together through funding from the Government of Netherlands and Norway amounting to a sum in excess of Two Thousand Million Rupees implemented through the Plantation Development Support Programme; the focus of this aid structure addressed a wide cross section of issues accentuating personal concerns of workers to give them a better deal. Although the old colonial procedures are still in place,fresh thinking on the part of management companies is progressively replacing those inherited systems. The breakthrough has not quite matched expectations and the fall - out is what is observed as general exodus from plantations in search of other job opportunities outside.

Plantation workers are now educated, and have been exposed to the benefits of urban living through TV, radio, the press, and the mobility of access to other employment opportunities because of improved literacy. It is not uncommon that they listen to the BBC, watch Dhoor Dharshan and sport contemporary fashions much like their urban peers. All in all therefore their major area of concern is the stigma attached to the tradition that has extracted their dignity and they often complain that they are not prepared to live and die on the estate. Their usual life is one of labour, as determined by tradition which broadly is conception, birth, a smattering of schooling, work from age 17, marriage, work, old age and death. All within that lifespan.

Nothing has really changed. The top-down management system adopted since inception may have been acceptable up to as recently as, ten years ago. Not any more. What they are looking for is job satisfaction, self improvement, participation, human resource development, respect, and wholesome family life. As the manpower crisis deepens, outmigration will intensify. It may then become the norm that workers residing on one estate would offer his or her services to another plantation at a higher wage, and commute to work daily, as any other worker does in other work disciplines.

In short recruitment of plantation workers may become competitive. In fact this is the norm in the informal, or smallholder sector. Many smallholders offer their workers a much higher wage per day with lunch, as part of their employment package. They are not tied down to any collective agreements, but the dictates of the open labour market has forced this situation.

The garments industry is a good example. All apparel factories sited in the hill country, would not have been operative if young people from the plantations had not been recruited to satisfy their manpower needs. And those employees are treated with respect.

A typical example would be that if, say, a machine operator decides to leave, the managers themselves visit his or her home and try to persuade that person to return. If there is a grievance, then effective damage control is immediately put in place. The level of concern is so intense that high level intervention is an established yardstick that is applied as routine.

Management of plantations, unfortunately has not attained that degree of sophistication. Although the industry is now one hundred and eighty odd years in existence, generally considered there has been hardly any change to what was left behind by the British. (The Plantation Industry was established in 1824).

The push factors already described also include employment abroad, lack of weather protection, crowded living conditions, urban facilities, embarrassment in work sites, monotony, (Which has led to chronic alcohol use), and the degrading image of the estate worker. This list if extended could be long and a frustrating indictment of the management structure.

Pull factors

Could outflow be stemmed? The good news is that this could be so. What is needed is imagination and the resilience to implement broad-based structural alterations. The worker unions too, who have always stressed that they are stakeholders must now match their words with action. (Only words have flowed out of them till now). If they do not get themselves positively involved, then they too lose their power base.

The industry has already demonstrated its ability to withstand harsh debacle. In this impasse the Management Companies might consider formalised training, glamorise the worker through TV exposure, change job descriptions, refresher training courses, uniforms, encourage education; should the main occupation be only tea? Maximise land use, introduce other avenues of employment..., the list could be long, and stretch to as much as one's imagination could permit.

At the recently held Ceylon Planters' Society Annual General Meeting, Dan Seevaratnam, Deputy Chairman Forbes Plantations Limited, is quoted to have highlighted a further catastrophe, that of planters leaving the profession. This is causing deep concern.

Coupled with outmigration of labour, and departing planters, the plantation industry is now in crisis.

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