H’tota port employees call off protest;report to work today

The employees of Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port who have been on a strike for ninth consecutive days called off their protest today and reported to work after the government issued a warning of terminating their job contracts.

The decision to give up the protest was taken following an assurance from the Minister of Ports and Shipping Arjuna Ranathunga today that their job contracts would be secured even after the Hambantota port is going to be brought under joint partnership of Sri Lanka -China joint agreement scheduled to be signed January next year.

The workers were attached to a company called Magampura under temporary work agreements but not affiliated with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

Minister Ranathunga told Parliament last week that he had appointed most of them as permanent staff but a certain section of the workers protested when all employees were to be brought under new company which is still being formulated.