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Public servants threaten to strike again
By Dhananjani Silva
The token strike launched by thousands of public sector employees in Colombo last Thursday ended with trade union representatives saying they would await the response of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and warning they would strike again if the new salaries commission did not give them a fair deal.

A memorandum with their demands was handed over to the President’s Secretary and the Trade Union Advisor. The strike, which was launched by representatives of around 200 trade unions and nearly 300,000 public servants, disrupted the health, railway, education and postal sectors, technical services and functioning of local bodies and provincial councils.
Committee for review of state sector salaries co-convener Saman Ratnapriya said if the Government implements the Tissa Devendra recommendations on salary revisions which offer a 60% salary increment to higher grades and a 20% increment to the rest, public servants would definitely take severe trade union action.

Mr. Ratnapriya also claimed that the statement made by the Treasury Secretary that a government policy decision was adopted to keep the salary ratio between labourers and office staff at 1: 4.2 (one to four point two) is mere duplicity, as according to the budget, the ratio is 1:3.8 (one to three point eight).

According to him, 70,000 employees in the health sector alone participated in the strike and as a result the entire health sector was in disorder on that day.
Karapitiya Hospital Director Dr. P.K. Wijeywickrema said about 750 hospital staff did not report for work on that day.

“We could not carry out routine work, but emergency services were carried out. One operating theatre was functioning and emergency operations carried out. Problems were caused in the water supply and ambulance services while transferring patients became a hassle due to the lack of attendants and other staff members,” he said.

Much inconvenience was caused to the patients, but no deaths were reported due to the strike, he said. However, National Hospital Director Dr. Hector Weerasinghe said that since all doctors and nurses were present and only minor employers were on strike, the hospital was able to run all the emergency services and carry out operations without hindrance, except some routine work.

Railway services trade union joint front secretary Sampath Rajitha said about 15,000 railway employees participated in the strike and as a result a large number of trains were not run.

“This strike action inconvenienced about 200,000 commuters including approximately 10,000 who travel at night. Out of about 330 trains only 35 trains were run with relief drivers who have not been properly trained. We are highly displeased over this move because of the risk involved,” he said.
However, General Manager of Railways K. A. Pemasiri denied allegations that trains were run with such untrained relief workers saying senior railway executives and inspectors were deployed in place of guards and assistant drivers.

“About 70% of the trains were not run due to the strike and Army personnel had to be deployed for security reasons,” he said.

Posts and Telecommunication Officers Association secretary K. S. Weerasekera said about 85% of the total strength of the posts and telecommunication sector participated in the strike and about 1.5 million letters were held up while the Central Mail Exchange and the GPO were shut down.

“The President has said a salary revision is coming, but if any injustice is done, we would definitely take trade union action,” he said. About 2000 employees in the education sector struck work including those in outstation areas, said Ceylon Teachers’ Association secretary and co convener of the Ceylon Principals-Teachers Union E. A. D. Z. Dissanaike.

“About 200 schools, including the ones in the North and East had to be completely closed down as a large number of teachers were on leave,” he said.

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