Call for resignation of National Administration Council
 

LAKMINI Rodrigo

COLOMBO: Public Services Trade Union Federation Convenor W. H. Piyadasa has called for the resignation of the National Council for Administration (NCA) for creating a 'mess in the trade union sector' by introducing a salary scale that creates more confusion than solution to the salary anomalies.

He made the demand with the media reporting that the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) was planning to take further trade union action if the Government fails to implement circular 1/2006 in February.

President Mahinda Rajapakse responding to requests of some trade unions, suspended the implementation of the circular and as the Nurses' Union leader Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera has pointed out that it was incorrect for the GMOA to go on with their trade union action when the President has given four months to the NCA to revise the circular.

The Thera told the Daily News that the circular was suspended by President Rajapakse on January 30, 2006 owing to the objections by some trade unions that the circular was with many anomalies in the increment rates and proportions of salaries of other sectors.

Nearly one million government workers will protest if the Government decides to give into the GMOA request and implement circular 1/2006, which has been suspended due to the protest of some other trade unions, the Ven. Thera added.

The Thera said seven trade unions in the health sector have formed the Waidya Seva Ekabadda Bala Mandalaya to protest against the circular being implemented without amendments.

"The President has given four months to restructure the circular based on the Tissa Devendra Commission reports. How can it be implemented within a month," the Thera asked.

The Thera also pointed out that there was a vast difference between salary increments of the high ranking officers to the lower ranking officers proposed by the circular and that salaries of lower ranking officers should be increased in a comparable manner.

Meanwhile, GMOA Secretary Dr. Uditha Herath claimed that the suspended circular was made by professionals and specialists with knowledge in professional classification of Government workers and a scientific basis of salary scales. Dr. Herath said all trade unions had discussed the matter for 24 months to assure its transparency.

He wondered how one could object the circular which has been drafted after consulting all trade unions accepted and approved by the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, North Central Province hospitals in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa districts staged a token strike yesterday demanding the implementation of the circular with immediate effect.

Emergency services have been carried out, though all normal routine services at hospitals were stopped.

A GMOA spokesman said token strikes will be staged today at Kurunegala, Monday in Kandy and Matale, Tuesday in Puttalam and Kegalle, Wednesday in Gampaha and February 16 in Galle and Matara districts.

He also added that the strikes will be carried out causing minimum inconvenience to the public.