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SLASA stages protest over salary anomalies
By Shelani Perera
Over 1,500 public servants will stage a protest on Wednesday demanding that the Government implement a Cabinet circular pertaining to salary anomalies. Last week the Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association (SLASA) staged a silent protest and later decided to hold a major protest this week. The union is demanding that the SLASA Service Minute which was amended in 2001 be implemented.

SLASA President S. Ranugge told The Sunday Times that Wednesday's protest will have the participation of all District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries and officers of the SLASA.

'After Wednesday's protest we will decide on future action. Several officers have proposed that we stage trade union action on the day of the general election. The majority of the officers involved in election work, specially Returning Officers, belong to our union. We have to think about this proposal which will be discussed at committee level" he said.

The SLASA Service Minute pertains to recruitment to the SLASA, training, promotions, and new salary scales. Amendments were made to it in February 2001. Although the Cabinet approved the amendment, as the Tissa Devendra Salary Commission was sitting at the time, the salary anomaly issue in the amendment was referred to the Commission by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. However the Commission had not given a ruling on the salary anomaly issue.

"What we want the Government to do is stick to the Cabinet approved amendment and approve the salary scale. Our argument is, if the Government can increase the salaries in the health sector whenever the employees go on strike, why can't it rectify our matter? We only want approval of what had already been approved" Mr. Rannuge said.

Mr. Rannuge added that the Government has claimed it will rectify the matter after the elections. However the SLASA has demanded a firm stand on the issue.

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