President Calls for Unity and Economic Reform in May Day Message

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his official May Day message, called on Sri Lanka’s workers to stand in solidarity as the country embarks on a period of political and economic transformation.

He began by recalling the origins of International Workers’ Day, which commemorates the 1886 protest in Chicago’s Haymarket Square where workers demanding an eight-hour workday were met with gunfire. The Second International, convened in 1889, later declared May 1 as International Workers’ Day to honour those who lost their lives in that struggle.

This year’s May Day, the President said, is observed at a time when Sri Lanka is undergoing “a profound and progressive transformation” under people-oriented governance. He said the outcome of the recent presidential and parliamentary elections marked a break from a 76-year-old power structure maintained by a few influential families.

He said the National People’s Power government is focused on rebuilding an economy “dragged to the depths” by decades of corrupt and elitist politics, and noted that signs of recovery are now visible. In its first national budget, the administration introduced significant increases to the minimum basic salary of public servants and extended benefits to farmers, the fishing community, youth, women, students, producers, small-scale entrepreneurs and professionals. He added that the government is also addressing longstanding issues faced by plantation workers and working to ensure their civil rights.

The President stressed the need for a new phase in human rights to reflect the changing needs of society. He said this should include digital access, environmental rights and other emerging rights not anticipated in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and called for a revised and comprehensive global declaration.

“As we restore and reform an economy devastated by decades of corrupt politics, I warmly invite our beloved working people to join hands in solidarity, to rise with determination and to strive towards building ‘a beautiful life and a thriving nation’ for everyone. On this occasion, I offer my heartfelt best wishes for a meaningful International Workers’ Day — one that reaffirms the rights and dignity of all working people.”