Bunkering operations at the former LMS Bloemendhal Road oil storage complex are being carried out at snails pace, trade unions allege.
The JCT Ltd Oil Bank, a fully owned subsidiary company of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) which took over the Lanka Marine Services Oil Facility is maintaining a stock around 2,500 tonnes of bunker fuel at present although the full capacity is around 31,000 metric tonnes.
In the meantime, the workers attached to JCT have brought to the notice of the Commissioner-General of Labour that they are yet to receive compensation and salaries and their letters of appointments are not in order. Under this set up the workers have refused to sign their appointment letters as the authorities have so far not informed them of their service conditions. They informed him that that the productivity of the JCT Ltd. Oil Bank has been greatly affected due to frustration of workers. Several bunkering orders had been cancelled owing to the failure to implement streamline procedures by bunkering licence holders, trade unions said.
The Commissioner General of Labour convened another meeting with trade union representatives last week but workers said the authorities will drag on settling their grievances including the payment of compensation and salary anomalies. At the meeting LMS authorities had agreed to submit the details of the compensation package in writing at the next meeting with representatives of trade unions on November 4. There were no immediate details of that meeting.
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