Government takes systematic approach to resolve public sector salary anomalies
Sri Lanka’s public sector salary anomalies are to be resolved in a systematic manner without providing piecemeal solutions through ad hoc salary increases, presidential secretariat sources disclosed.
The Special Presidential Commission to review Public Sector Salaries is now finalising its report to make recommendations towards this end, a senior official said adding that this report will be presented to President Maithripala Sirisena by next week.
The government will announce in the 2019 budget the granting of the balance payment of Rs.10, 000 salary hike for public servants while taking appropriate action in accordance with the recommendations made by the presidential commission.
Public sector employees have already been granted Rs.7, 500 out of the total salary increase of Rs.10,000.
The Government is to spend Rs.1,000 billion for the salaries of 1.1 million public servants and 600,000 pensioners, he said adding that the Commission has considered this factor as vital in making their recommendations.
Several amendments have been proposed for the existing regulations of the current circular regarding the salaries and the allowances of the government service.
A systematic approach will also be adopted in solving the issues emerging when providing the proposed salary scale to the Sri Lanka Railway Department, supervisory management service.
Solutions will be provided to reduce if any anomalies had taken place in the current circular of the salary scales of the Railway, Health, Higher Education and Postal Services.
Recommendations will also be made to reduce variations of the salary scales that emerged in the island-wide services and the services in which the salaries were increased recently.
Public service salary structure anomalies will be settled systematically reducing variations of the salary and allowances obtained by the employees holding similar responsibilities or holding similar qualifications working in governmental and semi –governmental institutions, he said.
The Free Trade Zone and General Services Employees Union has called for a hike in private sector wages owing to the prevailing economic climate in the country.
Joint Secretary Anton Marcus said nine trade unions have collectively presented a set of proposals to the government and will continue to engage with the present administration to resolve anomalies in the private sector.
Mr. Marcus added that they have made their proposal to the Finance Ministry to announce in the 2019 budget the increase in the minimum monthly salary of the private sector to at least Rs. 25,000 from the present salary of Rs. 10,000 and grant Rs.11,500 salary hike for all other private sector employees drawing a salary of over Rs. 25,000.
He noted that 12 trade union representatives will meet in Colombo public library auditorium at a public meeting and decide their immediate action to win this demand.