CPC employees boycott work protesting against an Amendment Bill

Employees attached to the Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) fuel distribution centres boycotted work on Tuesday launching a sick note campaign protesting against the Petroleum Products Special Provisions Amendment Bill being debated in parliament today.

This decision to desist from reporting for duty disrupting the fuel distribution has been taken by the joint trade union of the CPC until the withdrawal of the amendment bill, a leader of the trade union said.     

Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera noted that petroleum services have been declared as an essential services for the last six months and legal and disciplinary action will be taken against any employee for violating this regulation.

He added that the Petroleum Special Provisions Act Amendment is aimed at the liberalisation of the petroleum industry.

It has provisions to facilitate new global retail suppliers to Sri Lanka, encourage investments, and set up an energy supply committee to regulate the petroleum industry providing the importation, supply and distribution of fuel to parties other than the CPC and the Lanka Indian Oil Company.

The Bill was endorsed by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Power and Energy on October 4 with amendments in accordance with the decisions given by the Supreme Court. (Bandula)