President asks Trade Unions to act with responsibility

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: Not merely agitating only for their rights, workers should also show concern for their fellow citizens and also do their duty by the country and its economic development before they resort to trade union action to demand their rights, President Mahinda Rajapaksa stressed yesterday.

Addressing the Sixth National Convention of the Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya at the BMICH yesterday President Rajapaksa said he was at a loss to understand as to why public servants engage in trade union action when the Government was taking steps to increase their salaries and remove salary anomalies.

He pointed out that the Government has already taken measures to increase the minimum salary of a public servant to Rs.11,630 and to have discussion with trade unions regarding salary anomalies. "In this light I am constrained to come to the conclusion that they are acting according to the agenda of another force", President Rajapaksa said.

President Rajapaksa said that irresponsible action by any trade union will lead to the loss of public respect towards the trade union movement.

The President said as a person closely associated with the working class from the 1970s he considered the working class of the country in close fraternity .

"But don't make it a habit to strike since I am close to the working class", the President remarked. President Rajapaksa said the Government was ready to extend all the assistance to the working class of the country to ensure their happiness as the Government firmly believes that a happy and contended working class was a sine quo non towards a prosperous nation.

President Rajapaksa said he had given instructions to all Ministries and other Government Institutions to appoint Employees Advisory Councils at each institute to look into the problems of the employees of those institutions.

He said he would take action against the Heads of Government Institutions who failed to meet the employees under him.

"If the President of the country can meet the Trade Union representatives of all trade unions why can't they meet the trade union representatives under their institutions ?", President Rajapaksa queried. He said the Government has taken all steps to recover the Rs. 50 billion worth of assets in the VAT fraud after locating those assets wherever those assets are hidden.

He said the Government will strengthen the hands of Government officials who are conducting investigations into this VAT fraud.

Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana also spoke.