DDR: Trade Unions stage protest against moves to utilize labour funds

Over a dozen Trade Unions and representatives of political parties staged a collective protest in Colombo today against the proposed government plan to utilize funds belonging to Employee Pension Funds (EPF) and Employees' Trust Fund (ETF) as part of the domestic debt structuring process. 

Holding placards against recently introduced government tax hikes and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package, the protesters representing Unions demanded that the government should not tap into labour funds as part of the debt restructuring process- which is one of the requirements put forwarded by the IMF. 

Ceylon Teachers Union, Joint Committee of Democratic Trade Unions,  Joint Teacher’s Service Union and non-academic staff Unions attached to state universities were among the outfits that took part in the protest. 

Ahead protest, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court issued an order preventing 24 individuals from Trade Unions and political parties from entering the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s House, the Finance Ministry premises, and the Central Bank in Colombo. Severe traffic congestion was also reported in Colombo due to the protest. 

Meanwhile, a similar protest by regional outfits of Trade Unions was also staged in Jaffna this afternoon where protesters from both private and government sectors as well. (Pix by N. Lohathayalan)