Research on Wages in Palm Oil Plantations in Indonesia, Colombia, and Ghana (IPOWU)

Project Funder:

Mondiaal FNV

Project Duration:

2025

Country:

Indonesia, Colombia, Ghana

Status:

Active

Detailed Project Description:

This research project generates credible, actionable evidence to support wage negotiations and labour rights advocacy in the palm oil sector in Indonesia, Colombia, and Ghana, where workers often face low pay, precarious contracts, unclear production targets, and persistent gender-based wage gaps. Addressing these challenges, the project systematically documents actual wages paid across different job roles, contract types, and genders, and analyses how remuneration is determined through production targets, bonuses, and collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). It also identifies wage theft practices, including unpaid overtime, unlawful deductions, and other violations that undermine workers’ income security. A key analytical component compares observed wage levels with statutory minimum wages and living wage benchmarks, highlighting gaps between legal standards, negotiated outcomes, and workers’ real cost-of-living needs. Data is collected through a mixed-methods approach combining worker surveys, qualitative interviews, plantation-level profiles, and detailed analysis of CBAs, complemented by reviews of national labour legislation, RSPO guidance, and International Labour Organization standards. The findings provide unions and partners within the IPOWU network with concrete, evidence-based tools to strengthen collective bargaining strategies, advocate for fairer and more transparent wage systems, and address structural inequalities within the sector. WageIndicator Foundation leads the research by designing and conducting surveys and qualitative interviews, analysing wage data and CBAs, benchmarking wages against minimum and living wage standards, and producing clear visual and written outputs tailored to the needs of unions and advocacy partners.

Objective:

• Provide detailed wage data and analytical evidence on pay and working conditions in palm oil plantations.
• Support fairer wage negotiations and living wage advocacy through transparent and credible wage benchmarks.
• Strengthen labour protections for palm oil plantation workers by informing policy and collective bargaining.

Key Results:

• Worker-level wage datasets across targeted plantations and mills in all three countries
• Annotated and analyzed Collective Bargaining Agreements where available
• Comparative analysis of wage gaps (gender, contract type, region)
• Assessment of wage theft and transparency in wage setting
• Country reports + cross-country synthesis report
• Advocacy visuals and policy recommendations for unions

Project Partners:

• International Palm Oil Workers United (IPOWU) (Union Network Partner)

Role of Wageindicator:

WageIndicator leads designs and conducts surveys, qualitative interviews, analyses wages and CBAs, compares wages to living and minimum wage benchmarks, and produces visual and written outputs for unions and advocacy partners.

Publications:

-

Resources:

-

Events

-