The NPP government, which came to power promising the people that it would not engage in political revenge and would establish a new political culture, has now begun targeting trade union leaders in state and semi-state institutions, says Bandula Saman Kumara, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s Podujana Pragya Sevaka Sangamaya. He shared his views during a media discussion held at the Podujana Peramuna party headquarters on Nelum Mawatha.
“The NPP government has now started transferring trade union leaders in Pohottuwa. For example, our trade union president at Lake House, Comrade Chandana Bandara, has been transferred to the Kelani Valley Yard branch office without any disciplinary reason or basis. He is the Deputy General Manager of Lake House. The Deputy General Managers are second-tier officials, directly under the General Manager, and have never been transferred to branch offices outside the head office before. Similarly, trade union leaders at Lake House have never been transferred outside the institution.
But now, under the NPP government, our trade union president has been transferred outside the institution, creating a new political revenge culture at Lake House. Is this the political culture that this government promised to establish? Before coming to power, the government made one promise, but now it is acting differently. Therefore, we urge the NPP government to stop taking revenge on our trade union leaders.
In the same vein, our trade union secretary at the Foreign Employment Bureau has been transferred, following a directive from a powerful cabinet minister in this government. This is a clear example of the new political culture under the NPP government. Therefore, we call on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to arrest those who are tarnishing the image of the government and put an end to these political vendettas, creating a more positive political culture,” said Bandula Saman Kumara, General Secretary of the Podujana Progressive Employees Union.
During the media briefing, the Chairman of the Podujana Progressive Employees Union, M.G.A. Saman Kumara, stated that if such political vendettas are not corrected, the union will have no choice but to pursue legal action and engage in trade union actions in the future. He also mentioned that a group of casual employees from his union had been dismissed from service at the Educational Cooperative Institute. Additionally, members and officers of several other trade unions, which are not aligned with the government, have been arbitrarily transferred in several state institutions.
The Chairman further stated that if these unjust transfers are not reversed, all trade unions opposed to the government will join forces and launch significant trade union actions. The National Organizer of the Podujana Pragathishewa Sevaka Sangamaya, Mr. Amarapala Gamage, also participated in the media conference.
