Talks to end strike concludes without agreement, but unions expect positive response

(UPDATED) – Crucial talks between Trade Unions and senior officials to end a deadlock over proposed strikes and protests ended on Monday night without agreement, but unionist expressed hope of a positive response from President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Union representatives met with President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and senior Treasury officials aimed resolving the outstanding issues including the demand to reduce the taxes imposed on professionals.

Union representatives said that officials had assured that their concerns will be conveyed to the President and they would get back with the response.

However, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said until a positive response was received they were not willing to call off the proposed strike tomorrow in five provinces and Wednesday’s strike action.

Several other unions said they would await a response from the President’s office, but it was too early to call off the proposed strike.

Earlier in the day services at state hospitals in four provinces were crippled Monday as doctors and other trade unions stepped up their protest campaigns two days ahead of a proposed general strike.

The GMOA backed doctors started a 24 hour token strike in the Western,Southern, Central and Eastern provinces this morning with a warning they would take part in the proposed general strike on Wednesday.

They have decided to have the token in five other provinces tomorrow. They are North Western, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, North and North Central.

Spokesman for the GMOA Dr Chamil Wijesinghe said that they were expecting a response from the Government over their key demand of revising the increased taxes affecting the professionals.

Patients visiting state hospitals were severely inconvenienced by the doctors strikes.

Several patients who turned up for clinics at hospitals where the strike is on were turned away this morning.

“We were aware that the doctors will be going on strike, but most of us did not want to take a chance as our clinic date has been scheduled for today. If did not turn up they would blame us for not coming, so we have not taken any chances. But today we are told us to come on another day”, Nandana Jayasinghe from Kirindiwela said.

The Port workers unions also commenced a 24 hour token strike this morning slowing down the activities of the Port operations and warned they would take part in a general strike from Wednesday onwards.

Bank employees and Teachers are taking part in a protest campaign by wearing black and have threatened to step up their trade union action.

Several sectors including those representing nurses, health sector minor employees, Water Board workers as well as  Government and Semi-government Trade Unions have threatened to get involved in the strike.

Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that the government was confident that the strike action would not be successful as there are several sectors who have expressed support to maintain essential services.

Another union representing the Bank employees too vowed to maintain banking services through sections of other unions were calling for a strike

Mr Nishantha Samarasinghe, President of the Pragathi Bank Employees' Union told Timesonline that they were not supporting the strike as any trade union action would affect the country adversely.

"Even the banks are in a crisis and if the employees go on strike, it is not only the country the employees themsevles could have adverse effects." he said.

He said their union has 250 Mangers among some 4000 members from the Peoples's Bank and Bank of Ceylon.

The Private Bus Operators Unions have vowed to support maintaining transport services. 

Meanwhile Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe said that the government was not in a position of making adjustments to the tax policies as the IMF facility was pending.

However, trade unions which initially commenced their protest campaigns over the high taxes have now brought in other demands. Among them is the  conduct of the Local Government elections and reduction of electricity tariffs.