(COLOMBO) – As it is a frequent case, Sri Lankan train commuters were on Wednesday once again forced to walk the track after station Masters launched a wild-cat strike without prior notice.
Thousands of officer bound workers among others were left stranded at railway stations throughout the country and the authorities quickly deployed police and security personnel as people became anxious and enraged over the sudden strike.
The strike is aimed at pressing home several demands that include promotions.
The Government for their part declared the strike as illegal since the railway services have been declared as an ‘essential service’, according to the Secretary of the Ministry of Transport Ranjith Rubasinghe.
He stated that strict disciplinary action would be taken against those who fail to report for duty but did nor elaborate.
Meanwhile the non-executive Government employees who defied a strike and reported for duty on July 8 and 9, 2024, are to be granted a special salary increment as a token of appreciation for their dedication during a challenging economic period.
Meanwhile the Treasury Secretary highlighted that with the existing financial constraints, further salary or allowance increases would not be feasible without imposing additional tax burdens on the public. The government remains committed to avoiding decisions that could worsen the financial strain on citizens already facing economic challenges.
Strikes and trade union actions in the island-nation are regular happenings whenever there is an election due and this has been the case for some 70-plus years.
Both Presidential and Parliamentary elections must be held before the end of the year according to the county’s Constitution.
The governments, both present and in the past have described these trade union actions as politically motivated and nothing to do with the moderate working class or the general public in particular.
