The protesters demand that the government, through the district collector, step in and act as an intermediary.
About 5,000 women who work in tea plantations in Kerala's hill station Munnar, have been on protest since Sunday, blocking all roads in the popular tourist town.
The women, who work as pluckers in tea gardens and are mostly from Tamil Nadu allege that their bonuses have been slashed by their employers even as their salaries are low.
Strikingly, in a state where labour unions are at the heart of any protest, they are conspicuous by their absence here, banished by the women protesters who allege that the unions representing them have exploited them for years.
"Union leaders have pocketed money from the tea plantation companies. They are not looking out for our interests," alleged Dhanabhagyam, who has worked in Munnar for 10 years.
They have also not allowed men workers to participate in the protest. "Men don't do the work that we do. We are the ones who pluck the leaves, carry the burden all day and even load it into trucks," said Munmiammal, who has worked for 10 years at Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company or KDP, which runs nearly 70 percent of the tea gardens in Munnar and employs some 11,000 workers.
Another protester Muttalakshmi said, "We want a salary of Rs 500 and bonus of 20 percent. We will not leave this place till our demands are met."
The women protesters say they are paid Rs 170 to Rs 230 a day for working more than 12 hours beginning at 5 am, an allegation that KDHP has strongly denied.
"The work hours are strictly between 8 am and 5.30 pm with a one-hour lunch break," said the company's Managing Director Mathew Abraham, adding that wages have never been reduced at his company. Kerala, Mr Mathew said, pays the highest wages to tea plantation workers.
"The company is very proud of the fact that almost all employees are shareholders in the company. The sharp drop in tea prices last year which continues till date, has unfortunately impacted profitability severely and left us with no option but to offer a lower bonus this year to all its employees which is still more than what is statutorily required, Mr Abraham said.
The company, which alleges a "misinformation campaign" against it, said a 2,000-strong mob gheraoed Mr Mathew this week, forcing the management to leave Munnar.