Unions confident of wage hike legislation
View(s):Labour unions were positive that the new UNP-led regime would bring about legislation to grant the Rs. 2500 pay hike for private sector workers with retrospective effect from May 2015 in addition to other demands.
Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union General Secretary Anton Marcus told the Business Times that they were confident the government would bring in the required legislation and ensure that in future it would be the government’s prerogative to increase salaries and not market forces as was the current situation.
Draft legislation on the new proposed wage hike and other demands was expected to be tabled in the next Parliament after it meets on September 1, Mr. Marcus said adding that this would be taken up after the Labour Advisory Council meets with the appointment of the new minister.
He noted that a major achievement of their labour campaign was the inclusion of increasing private sector wages in almost all manifestos of the political parties at the recently concluded general election. In the meantime, the unions would hold a Delegates Conference next month to discuss the labour unions’ proposals to regain GSP + to ensure that its benefits trickle down to the employees.