Workers demand Rs.50,000 basic wage
View(s):By Sunimalee Dias
Workers in all public and private sector trade unions are gearing up to stage a demand for a national minimum basic wage of Rs.50,000 ahead of the interim budget announced by the government.
Free Trade Zone and General Services Union General Secretary Anton Marcus told the Sunday Times Business that following a meeting with 11 trade unions on Thursday they will be making representations to President Ranil Wickremesinghe to ensure that the national minimum basic wage be increased to Rs.50,000.
He noted that with the government announcing to present an interim budget (the normal practice during an election year) they hope to send in their proposals to the President requesting that the minimum basic wage be increased for all in both public and private sector.
Free Trade zone workers will carry out a protest following a meeting of its national delegate conference due to be held in a months’ time, it was noted. There it will be decided when the date for a protest will be held.
Currently the basic wage for apparel workers is Rs.16,000 and in light of this, Mr. Marcus pointed out that if government proposed to grant estate workers a massive wage hike then it was only right for the other sectors to also receive similar wage increases.
Workers in the apparel sector have reduced from 500,000 to 300,000 today following the closure of a number of the SME apparel factories. At present there are 350 factories in operation from the previous 427.
Commenting on the continued strikes and protests carried out by the public sector, Mr. Marcus noted that they do understand the grievances of the public sector unions.
He noted that at present there is no mechanism in the public sector for dispute resolution, as a result of which the strikes continue to take place.
Mr. Marcus observed that those striking today have forgotten the earlier demand they made during the “Aragalaya” days for a complete overhaul of the system.
“It is a complete system change that is required and that is what we had proposed to ensure that a system be established with social partners and stakeholders,” he said.
But what is happening today is the strikers are fighting within the existing system itself which is not going to help anyone, Mr. Marcus pointed out.
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