Govt employees who refrained from taking part in strike to be rewarded

All employees who refrained from taking part in the two day strike yesterday and today, will receive a special salary increment, the Cabinet has decided.

The decision was made based on a Cabinet paper submitted by President Ranil Wickremesighe and discussed at the Cabinet meeting today.

The proposed increment will not be taken into consideration for the payment of pensions.

All sector employees, excluding those in the executive grade who reported to work on July 8 and 9^th, accordingly will be entitled to the salary increment.

President Wickremesinghe in the cabinet paper noted that despite the financial difficulties the government had already increased the salaries of the public sector employees by Rs 10,000 this year and the Treasury Secretary has informed him that no more increases could be granted.

He said it was acceptable for some of the unions to engage in a strike, on Monday and Tuesday in manner that the public is inconvenienced.

The President said in appreciation of the service of the workers who reported oto work on Monday and Tuesday, the increment was being proposed.

The Ministry secretaries, heads od Departments and Chief Secretaries have been instructed to issue a special certificate of appreciation for the employees who reported to work on the two days.