Postal Trade Unions vow to expand strike action, as mail piles up

Postal trade unions are planning to widen their strike action, by seeking support of other sectors including teachers health workers.

 The move came as tens of thousands of  letters and parcels, including those to be sent overseas are piling in mail rooms, causing the government a loss of millions of rupees, as the strike by postal staff continued for the third consecutive day.

  Chinthaka Bandara, a trade union leader in the postal sector told Timesonline, they were expecting a discussion with the officials today, but it did not take place.

He said they would continue the strike while expanding their trade union action by seeking support of  the other sectors.

The Cargo Village at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) had more than 1,000 bags of mail to various destinations by today afternoon.

 The Government maintained its position , that the employees involved in the strike, should first express their willingness to mark their finger prints on arrival and departure, before coming in for negotiations.

 The Unions have requested for a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to resolve the issues leading to the strike.  They have placed 19 demands.

 Mr Bandara denied claims by the government that some of the demands have already been met.

 Twenty seven trade unions are currently involved in the strike causing severe inconvenience  to the public who have been calling over for various services from the post offices.

  Among the demands by the unions is that they should fill in the vacancies in the postal service as soon as possible. Also issues over promotions, transfers and salary anomalies are among the other issues.

The postal strike is one of the biggest strikes the government has faced since coming into power last year.