• One week given to reverse taxes, electricity tariffs, interest rates  

Giving the Government a week’s ultimatum to take drastic measures concerning their demands, National Trade Union Centre’s (NTUC) National Organiser Wasantha Samarasinghe said that the trade unions would launch an all-out strike after a period of a week unless the Government reverses their tax policy hikes, increased electricity tariffs, and interest rates.

He expressed these views at a joint media briefing organised by the NTUC with the intention of making the people aware of their future actions, which was held in Colombo on Wednesday (15) after launching the 24-hour token strike on the day.

Samarasinghe said that if President and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Government assume that the trade unions surrendered, it would be a huge mistake for them, as now, the Government is not in a position to neglect the message given by trade unions through their strike. “This Government thought that they would be able to stop employees from striking by issuing gazettes. But, we witnessed how those gazettes issued by Wickremesinghe became just another piece of paper. So, that has given a red light to this undemocratically elected Government. Now, they have to take immediate action to provide solutions to our demands without telling lies. We remind the Government that we will have to take stricter actions unless they convince us within the next seven days,” he added.

Meanwhile, Government Medical Officers’ Association General Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said yesterday (16) that they had taken that decision in response to a series of proposals submitted by the Presidential Secretariat to the Professionals’ Trade Union Alliance (PTUA). He told the media that the PTUA is of the opinion that a continuous strike would inconvenience the public.

Stressing that no trade union wants to cause any inconvenience to the public, College of Medical Laboratory Science President Ravi Kumudesh said yesterday that they are ready to hold discussions with the President if he has made his mind up to genuinely consult them on these issues.

Speaking at the joint media briefing held on Wednesday, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) United Trade Union Alliance Convenor Ranjan Jayalal said that the employees of the CEB have already decided to launch an all-out strike if the Government is not ready to provide them with the necessary solutions. He claimed that they will halt all the power stations in support of the strike which is to be launched in the near future.

Ceylon Principals’ Association Secretary Piyasiri Fernando said that they will have to take rigorous actions if the President takes actions to subdue them by force, following the examples given by his uncle, former President J.R. Jayewardene. He also noted that many in the Teachers’ Service and the Education Administration Service have pledged their support for a continuous strike unless the Government takes action to resolve their problems including the anomalies in salaries.

An islandwide token strike was launched on Wednesday by the PTUA against the Government’s recent tax policy hikes, increased electricity tariffs and interest rates, and anomalies in salaries, and it crippled a multitude of essential services affiliated with many crucial sectors including health, ports, postal, banking, transport, education and higher education, and water supply.