The Locomotive Operating Engineers Union (LOEU) called off a proposed strike from midnight today, following a meeting with the Transport Ministry secretary and key officials of the Railways with an assurance their promises would be met by next month.

The President of the Union, K.A.U Konthasinghe said that the strike was called off after a positive response was given by the Transport Ministry Secretary Senior professor Kapila C.K Perera.

According to him the Railways had  called for a 48 hour token strike over the delay of their promotions, fulfillment of vacancies, schemes of recruitments.

 Mr Konthasinghe added that they called on the strike as the documentation process between the ministry, Department of Railways as well as the Public services commission created an overall delay in the promotion process of the locomotive engine drivers.

However, the Ministry secretary assured that he would expedite the documentation process and resolve the matter before August 19.

Apart from that the union had also conveyed the issues of the lack of restrooms for engine drivers. They had also explained the much required upgrades and repairs for engines and of other infrastructure related matters such as signaling issues.

As a result the Ministry Secretary had also called for a report on the status of train engines, carriages as well as signaling and other infrastructures related matters from the General Manager of Railways and other heads of sub departments.

 The LOEU warned that even though they had halted their union action due to the government's positive response, yet if the issue is not resolved by the deadline they would carry out a stronger trade union action. 

Railway officials said that, if they had gone ahead with the strike the passengers would have been inconvenienced severely.