A conspiracy led by private sector companies which provide similar services is behind the abrupt postal workers’ trade union actions, alleged the Ministry of Mass Media.

Speaking in the Parliament yesterday (12) in response to a question raised by Government Parliamentarian, Attorney Premnath C. Dolawatte, the State Minister of Mass Media Shantha Bandara said that the trade unions affiliated with the postal service are apparently controlled by private sector companies which provide similar services. He also noted that such a conspiracy could take place since the Postal/Posts Department has now become an efficient profit making State-owned service, and that therefore, the private sector wants it to be hampered. Bandara further said that almost all the demands of the trade unions are based on two policy decisions, whereas all their professional demands have been addressed. He also said that the trade unions must understand that policies cannot be changed at once and also noted that the Government is trying its best to find solutions for their issues. “These trade unions demand not to privatise the historical postal buildings and to increase their salaries by Rs. 20,000. No building would be fully handed over to any company. When it comes to the salary issues, the Government has already granted an allowance increment (Rs. 10,000 under the 2024 Budget). These people must understand the limit of the increment that any Government can grant under this situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, the islandwide token strike launched by around 27,000 postal workers was reportedly concluded from midnight yesterday as was earlier decided. However, speaking to the media on Monday (11), the Joint Postal Trade Union Collective’s Joint Convenor Chinthaka Bandara said that the strike was launched against the Government’s alleged attempt to hand over a number of historical buildings which were initially owned by the Department to certain private sector companies under the guise of a tourism promotion campaign.

Last month, the Postmaster General S.R.W.M.R.P. Sathkumara, issuing a statement in this regard, stated that no post office owned by the Department would be closed and that the President’s Secretary has been informed of the agreement to hand over the Nuwara Eliya Post Office building to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) in order to allow for a more effective investment opportunity as per the Government’s policy. Cabinet Spokesperson and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardana has also assured that the UDA would provide a suitable building in its place to operate the said Post Office.

Following the controversy, President Ranil Wickremesinghe had meanwhile issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification last month declaring the postal service as an essential public service.