• Health, edu, banking sectors’ TUs begin protest actions, strike planned for 15 March 

The Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA) launched a full-scale strike against the newly introduced tax policies with effect from yesterday (9) until further notice, while the trade unions (TUs) which represent other categories of professionals have also planned to initiate several other forms of trade union actions against the same, including a strike on 15 March.

A statement issued by the FUTA on Wednesday (8) stated that it, together with other trade unions representing the Professionals Trade Union Alliance have decided to initiate a series of trade union actions against the newly introduced tax policies which they claimed to be unfair, including strikes, work-to-rule campaigns and other types of protests. Claiming that the Government is yet to show any positive response to their continuous demands to engage in a constructive dialogue to find a mutually acceptable solution to the issues which have arisen due to the tax policies in question, the FUTA stated that it would go on a full scale strike from yesterday, and continue the same until further notice.

The trade unions which represent professionals of other fields including health workers, teachers and principals, and bankers, have also planned to launch a strike on 15 March against the tax policies, as well as concerning other issues that the people are facing at present.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) President, Priyantha Fernando said that the teachers, teaching instructors and principals have decided to launch a strike on 15 March demanding solutions to their issues. The relevant Trade Union' demands include the complete resolution of the teachers-principals salary anomalies, the resolution of the issues in the education sector, the provision of adequate financial allocations to schools, the reduction of bank interest rates, and the provision of an allowance of Rs. 20,000 until the anomalies are resolved and a transport allowance in line with the current cost of transportation.

More than 100 trade unions within Government and semi-Government institutions such as the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, the Ceylon Electricity Board, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Government Medical Officers' Association, the FUTA, the Ceylon Bank Employees' Union and the CTU have been implementing a number of trade union actions including strikes and work-to-rule campaigns, seeking to force the Government led by President and Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to revoke the recently introduced tax policies. They also warned of stricter trade union actions including continuous strikes if the Government continues to ignore their demands.