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Some trade unions to strike on Tuesday
View(s):Some trade unions last night resolved to launch a one day token strike on Tuesday after they claimed that talks held with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, ministers and other officials failed to address their issues.
Trade union representatives said though the government was willing to hold further talks regarding their demands their inability to address their demands forthwith resulted in the decision to resort to trade union action. The talks centred around a series of issues including the demand to continue with the same pension scheme for the public sector without changes, adding the Rs 10,000 salary increase to the basic salary of the public sector employees and assurance that the Employees Provident Fund and Employees Trust Fund would not be amalgamated.
Private Bus Owners’ Association President Gemunu Wijeratne who took part in the talks said his union would strike on Tuesday.
Trade unions representing the medical sector, para medics , nurses and supplementary health workers, were among those who took part in the discussion, but some of the unions were divided whether they should resort to trade union action.
Government Nursing Officers Associations President Saman Rathnapriya said they were willing to call off the trade union action if the government at least agreed to consider continuing with the pension scheme for the public sector Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU) President S.P.Jayaratna told the Sunday Times that none of the demands drew a favourable response.