Our Trade Union dedicated for attainment of social justice  

In late 1919 and early 1920, there were lively activities on almost all estates in and around Kandy, Matale, Hewaheta, Kelani Valley and Kurunegala – which were major planting districts then. There were parties at the Head Clerk’s and clerks’ bungalows and many estate staffs from neighboring estates were partaking . Speculations were rife then that some radical change is in the offing and all were waiting with awe for the outcome.

Hopes and aspirations of group of people are the root cause for birth of voluntary organizations. Such necessity began to enter the minds of the estates staff and came to a head when suppression and unfair labour practices began to invade administrative territory of estates.

D-day was 29th August 1920, dressed in their Sunday best, the Estates Staff began to arrive, led by their Head Clerks and by mid morning, gathering was much more than expected. For the first time in the annals of the history of estates, a meeting of the staff was held to orchestra their cause on this day and formed themselves into an association decreed as ‘ Estates Staffs Association of Ceylon’ This militant move was the first step taken by estates staffs to stand as a united body and began its long journey.

Know Our UNION

Coffee Blight has won! By middle of the 18th Century, all efforts to save coffee industry from a blight attack became futile as all preventive measures and curative action taken were ineffective and, one by one, coffee estates were closing down. Plantation owners and workers were in a quandary alike. Workers included the Staff as well.

James Taylor and the party have been experimenting with a medicinal bush from Chinese jungles called “TEA’ and reports are heart-warming . The trials have proved very much better results than expected and investors uncrossed their fingers and are once more getting ready to put their money in the new product.

Head Kangany is very busy, getting down his kith and kin to work in these new estates and augment his gang and enhance his ‘pence’ money collection. It is princely sum-one cent per working day from each of his workers – Dorai is now happy as he is having his men and tea is growing beautifully in virgin soil .

CESU VISION

(Six fold Vision of the CESU)

• Preserve and strengthen dignity of labor , human and trade union rights and protection of environment

• Uphold physical , psychological, moral , cultural and economic well being of the members

• Build Alliances, forge partnerships by working concertedly among national and international Trade Unions, Civil and Public Societies and Organizations

• Enhance active participation of membership to strengthen the bargaining process for conclusion of Collecting Agreements while preserving the industrial peace for betterment of the Industry.

• Reject any form of racial, ethnic , religious conflicts, gender based discrimination and establish a national & international force of the working class.

• Stand against waste , corruption and irregularities

CESU MISSION

Ceylon Estate Staffs' Union (CESU)

To be a Trade Union dedicated for attainment of social justice equality and democracy.

Why choose CESU?