Ahead of a crucial fifth meeting of the Plantation Labour Committee scheduled to be held in the afternoon, stakeholders are optimistic of a favourable result. 

A delegation of trade union leaders met with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Labour Minister Shibu Baby John a short while ago. 

Speaking to newspersons after the brief meetings which 'saw an exchange of ideas,' John said the state government is hopeful of a solution being thrashed out in the afternoon. 

He ruled out a unilateral notification by the government of wage rates since the High Court had banned a similar initiative twice in the recent past. 

The government will approach the talks with an open mind; should it prove a failure, it will go into a huddle to explore available options. 

Representatives of the trade unions denied there was negativity in the approach to the talks scheduled in the afternoon. The unions will go into the meeting with a positive frame of mind. 

Reports from ground zero in Munnar where hundreds of plantations workers are on strike, suggested that they might be willing to 'climb down a notch' from their demand for a minimum wage of Rs 500. 

Plantations here have been closed for over a month due to labour unrest. 

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