Strike-hit James Finlays factories to re-open

Two James Finlays factories that had been shut down for operations at Vauxhall Street and Welisara following a strike are expected to resume operations tomorrow (Thursday) following a settlement reached between the manual workers and the company.
Workers numbering around 180 at the two factories have been on strike action since September 26 in protest after 18 workers were unfairly dismissed from their jobs, Ceylon Federations Trade Union General Secretary D.W. Subasinghe said..
The workers are members of one of the 14 affiliate unions under the federation namely the Tea, Rubber and Local Produce Workers Union. 
Despite attempts by the Commissioner General of Labour following a meeting with the union and the company on September 28 requesting the workers to be reinstated the company had not allowed the workers to report back to work.
After the trade union on Monday requested the Labour Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne to refer the matter for compulsory arbitration the company had on Tuesday sent letters to the workers' residences' to report back to work on October 11.
However, the union had sent a fax to the company on October 11 stating that the workers were scheduled for a meeting with the parent union on that date and as such would report to work on October 12. (SD)