This letter was written by workers in Sri Lanka who are supporters of the Balmoral Estate Workers Action Committee. The committee was formed in September 2009 to fight the imposition of poverty-level wages on plantation workers imposed on the workers by the dominant plantation unions. (See, “Sri Lanka: An appeal to all workers by the Balmoral Estate Action Committee”)

To the Indianapolis GM Stamping Rank-and-File Committee, USA

Dear comrades,

We came to know about your struggle through the Socialist Equality Party, Sri Lanka and the World Socialist Web Site.

On behalf of the Balmoral Estate Workers Action Committee in Agrapatana, Sri Lanka, we fully support your struggle and your initiative to form the rank-and-file committee against the betrayals of the trade union.

Not only in our country but all over the world, trade unions function as collaborators with the capitalist employers against the interests of the workers. This is once again revealed through your struggle. Your struggle encourages us further. Workers must unite throughout the world to defend their rights.

In September 2009 we formed Balmoral plantation Workers’ Action Committee, during our wages struggle, against all the trade unions that betrayed our struggle. After that we faced severe threats from the trade unions bureaucrats, plantation management, and police. We can’t face these challenges on our own, isolated from the rest of the working class locally and internationally.

We workers as an international class must unite, cutting across the national, racial, colour, language, gender and religious differences. United in such a way, we can defeat the attacks of the capitalist enemy.

Once again we congratulate your struggle.

Best regards,

V.Thanarai, President, Balmoral Estate Workers Action Committee
P.Thurairaj
P.Mahenthiran