by Sahan Tennekoon in The Morning, Mar 15, 2023
Trade unions (TUs) affiliated with many crucial sectors including health, ports, electricity, banking, railways, ports, education and higher-education have decided to support the islandwide strike which is to be launched from today (15), The Daily Morning learned.
Following talks held on Monday (13) between the governmental authorities and the collective of trade unions representing professionals, the latter, which are engaged in various trade union actions against the Government’s recent tax hikes, ending inconclusively, the professionals’ trade unions are continuing with their actions including strikes as planned since yesterday (14).
The unions said that further actions are to be taken unless the Government makes the decision to reduce the heavy tax rates, electricity tariffs, and interest rates. Speaking to the media yesterday in Colombo, the relevant trade unions said that they will continue the strike until they receive a positive response from the Government’s end.
The Media Spokesman of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said yesterday at a media briefing that the trade unions meeting held with the President’s Secretary and the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury ended in confusion, but that the government officials had promised to make President Ranil Wickremesinghe aware of the demands of the trade unions, and to provide with a positive response by last evening. ……
Meanwhile, the GMOA continued their strike which started on Monday for the second consecutive day yesterday, expanding it to five Provinces apart from the four Provinces where they started on Monday. The GMOA expanded its token strike to the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Northern, North Central, and Uva Provinces yesterday. On Monday, their strike action brought the functions at all Government hospitals in the Western, Southern, Eastern and North Western Provinces to a standstill.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Freedom Employees Union – Ports, Prassana Kalutharage said that the strike was extremely successful as it is reported that only 25% of the operations are taking place due to the strike. He further said that the Ports Authority has lost 75% of its total income…….
However, expressing the stance of the Government at the Cabinet media briefing held yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Bandula Gunwardana said that any act to sabotage the essential services in the country will be termed as treason, and that strict action would be taken.
Collective of trade union actions are taking place this week, with unions from various sectors joining to protest against the recently imposed tax revisions, the electricity tariff hike and the incumbent Government. The trade union collective of professionals stated that the strike action initially planned to take place this week will continue as scheduled, as Monday’s meeting with the Government was not fruitful.
https://www.themorning.lk/articles/vWTjglYtT8AwCcfS5rlu
