Thaw in cashew sector talks

Talks called by Labour Minister Shibu Baby John in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday with representatives of cashew sector trade unions and employers in the Industrial Relations

Committee, to end an impasse over wage revision for cashew workers, drew a blank.

But, in sharp contrast to talks in this connection on earlier occasions, Thursday’s talks were held in a cordial atmosphere and the two sides gave some indications of settling the issue at the earliest. In this connection, the trade union leaders and the employers agreed to hold another round of talks on November 25 “at which the issue has to be settled.”

Both versions

During Thursday’s talks, the trade unions expressed willingness to bring down their wage hike demand from 50 per cent to 40 per cent. But the employers, citing situations in the domestic and international markets vis-à-vis the prevailing cost of production in the State, expressed their inability to consider a hike beyond 25 per cent.

Their contention was that over the past five years, the price of raw nuts they import from the international market had doubled from Rs.50 a kg to more than Rs.100. At the same time, the price of kernels which they export had been hovering around Rs.475 to Rs.500 a kilogram for the past five years. In such a situation, even a 40 per wage hike would make the industry unviable, the employers said.

However, they said they were willing to offer a wage hike which the industry could bear at this juncture. The offer has hinted at the possibility of a 30 per cent wage hike during the November 25 talks. Both sides have not denied it.

- The Hindu