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Battered by eye-popping prices of essentials, workers in no mood to sacrifice pay
Unions insist they will oppose pay cuts for state and private sector workers proposed by a senior government minister at a time prices of essentials have shot up to unprecedented levels.
“Before suggesting pay cuts of state and private sector employee salaries, the Government should think about ways of bringing down the cost of living. A kilo of sugar that was 85 rupees last year is 210 rupees now. Whether it is rice, canned fish, potatoes, all basic food requirement prices have gone up. Ministers and MPs can contribute more than a month’s salary and cut down the cost of maintaining office staff and sacrificing their perks and allowances,” said Inter-company Employees’ Union (ICEU) president, Wasantha Samarasinghe.
“Workers cannot be further burdened and if the government resorts to pay cuts, trade unions representing all sectors will vehemently protest the move,’’ he said.
Joseph Stalin, general secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union, said if the government insists on pay cuts for state workers without their consent, legal action will be taken.
“There have been a number of funds started by governments and the public. School children have contributed with much enthusiasm. Unfortunately some of them are not transparent. Even if the public wants to contribute to the welfare of COVID-19 patients, people are financially struggling with the skyrocketing cost of living,” he said.
“Our loans and lease payments will not be paid by the government. Those who receive a monthly salary, too, are struggling. The prices of day to day goods and services are high,” said a spokesman of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya.
Minister Prasanna Ranatunga in a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa proposed that during the lockdown, salaries of lawmakers should be deducted by 75 percent. He also proposed a 50 percent pay cut for state and private sector workers and 30 percent for minor employees.
“The majority of those who are pushing the government for a lockdown are receiving a monthly salary from the state. They are being paid by the taxpayer. Daily wage owners are also paying taxes, but during a lockdown they are jobless. We cannot receive our salaries knowing that the majority of taxpayers are struggling with no income for day to day expenses,” the minister said in the letter while suggesting pay cuts, excluding health workers.
Addressing the nation last week, President Rajapaksa, asked everyone to be prepared to make more sacrifices, if the country were to be placed under a lockdown for longer in the future.
This week the Cabinet of Ministers unanimously decided to donate their August remuneration to the COVID-19 fund, a proposal by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
A number of ministers and MPs also have said they will donate a half a month’s salary or several months’ wages to the fund.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and all Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) lawmakers, have said they will donate their salaries to purchase medical equipment.
The Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, said the government has not decided on cutting the salaries of state, or private sector employees.