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Trade unions still on the war path
View(s):Ten trade union fronts in the banking, administrative and health sectors have issued an ultimatum to the government to heed their demands before mid-January or face a strike. Joint trade union front spokesperson Saman Ratnapriya told the Sunday Times they hoped circulars would be issued to implement the revised budget proposals within the next three weeks.
He said they had met with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding the implementation of promises including a proposal to add part of the Rs. 10,000 allowance to the basic salary of public sector employees, a mechanism to ensure private sector salaries are increased and to prevent the introduction of a new pension scheme in the public sector.
He said they would monitor the implementation of the revised proposals and thereafter decide on future action. Ceylon Bank Employees Union President S.P. Jayaratna said they hoped to hold further talks with the Government regarding their demands before deciding on trade union action.
He said that although promises had been given, relevant gazette notifications must be issued. Among their demands is that the banks should be allowed to carry on with their leasing businesses. The Sri Lanka Administrative Service Union, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) and more than ten other unions have also placed a string of demands and are awaiting a response from the Government.
They said the Government, through the budget, had failed to maintain the ratio between lower grades and higher grades in the public sector. This must to be corrected. The reduction of the tax concessions to the public sector and attempts to change the current pension system also needs to be addressed, union officials said.
Public Administration Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara said the Government had called for a report from the Salaries and Cadres Commission regarding the salaries of public sector employees.