Sri Lanka, May 1 -- Ever since the 19th Century, exploitation has been the order of the day for Sri Lanka's working class. But two centuries later, the struggle to obtain better wages and a better standard of living has kept this segment of society on the edge. They are often at the receiving end of multiple crises, be it economic or political, falling from the frying pan into the fire, becoming vulnerable to societal pressure and discrimination with each passing day.
During the colonial period, labourers, particularly those working in the country's plantation sector, often had to work for long hours but were paid low wages and were severely disciplined. It was around this time that colonial rulers introduced a system of indentured labour...