Wage hike soon for coir workers

ALAPPUZHA: Coir and Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran has said that the minimum wages of coir workers will be hiked from Rs.100 to Rs.150.

Speaking after the State-level launch of the Coir Debt Relief Scheme and distribution of benefits here on Monday, Mr. Sudhakaran said the government had taken a decision to that effect. A formal announcement would follow soon. A hike in the prices of coir products would be implemented along with the wage revision. The Minister said the debt relief scheme was intended to help small-scale coir manufacturing units and coir product manufacturing units revive themselves and stop migration of skilled labour to other sectors.

He rued the fact that several managements were not paying even the current minimum wages of Rs.100.