- Claims Govt. has ignored executive officers
The executive officers of the public sector today (29) withdrew from all their services in protest of the Government’s inability to address their demands, including the issue of salary anomalies.
The Joint Committee of Government Executive Officers (JCGEO) yesterday (28) announced that they would not report to work today, and file for sick leave in protest of the Government’s inefficiency in providing solutions to their demands.
The JCGEO stated that the actions were taken following several decisions taken by the Government recently, including granting allowance increases and other benefits to several selected professions in the public sector, while the issues of the executive officers remain unheard.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday, JCGEO President H. A. L. Udayasiri said that the decision was taken with the consent of all the affiliated trade unions after making several demands from the Government regarding their issues. He also said that the Government is trying to mislead the public servants in various ways instead of addressing the major issues and demands of the public servants.
Udayasiri said that the JCGEO urges the Government to address issues such as salary anomalies, which have been persisting for many years, and grant them the full allowances and benefits that they are entitled to. He also said that an awareness programme and a seminar would also be held today to make executive officers more aware of the respective issues.
The JCGEO also claimed that some inequalities prevail in the allowance increases given to the executive officers, which would further intensify the existing salary anomalies. The JCGEO also noted that some crucial proposals that were submitted by the JCGEO to enhance productivity and efficiency have been neglected by the relevant authorities, who demanded the implementation of those proposals.
Several attempts made by The Daily Morning to contact the State Minister of Home Affairs, Public Administration, Local Government and Provincial Councils, Ashoka Priyantha regarding the planned trade union action, and the JCGEO demands, proved futile.