President should gazette revised salaries of civil servants - Finance Ministry Official

The newly-revised salary structures of civil servants will have to be gazetted by the President, a senior official at the Finance Ministry said, citing it as the solution to the ongoing strikes.

The senior official said that the recommendations of the special Salary Review Commission had been approved, but needs to be officially established through a gazette issued by the President.

J.J. Rathnasiri, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, said they expect the President to issue the gazette within the coming month.

Unions representing railway employees, non-academic staff at state universities, and executive officers are engaged in strikes and work-to-rule campaigns citing salary anomalies.

Employees claim they have not been assured of the increase in their salaries and that they have not received the increments as promised by the government.

(Reporting by Damith Wickramasekara)