A paralyzing ‘go-slow’

The crippling of the day-to-day operations at the Colombo Port by a work-to-rule campaign or a ‘go slow’ by some sections of the port workers is beginning to cause considerable anxiety among the public and all those involved in the import - export trade.

This is so mainly on account of the implications the ‘go slow’ has for the cost-of-living and the dynamism and productive capacity of the country’s economy. Frankly, the work-to-rule could have grave consequences for the economy if it is allowed to continue without being deftly resolved.

According to reports, movements of ships, coming in and going out of the port have been badly hampered, leading to considerable congestion at this nerve centre of our economy. Besides the holding-up of vital exports, such as garments and our primary products, imported commodities whixxch are vital to the sustenance of the people, such as wheat flour, dhal and sugar, too are being held up at the port with the potential to add to the public’s cost of living burden.

It is clear, therefore, that the work-to-rule campaign must be ended and normalcy restored at the port. We call on both the authorities as well as the workers to get down to the task of negotiating an early end to this crisis.

As should be expected, salary and wage grievances are among the principal reasons for worker disaffection and the work-to-rule campaign, although some trade unions have also been quoted as citing corruption at the port as being among the reasons for their trade union action.

While the authorities need to look into these grievances and attach top priority to their resolution, the workers need to realize that their trade union action could have adverse repercussions on people’s lives and the country’s economy. In short, the striking workers need to place the national interest above sectional interests. If they are endowed with a civic conscience, they would realise that prolonged trade union action only seriously harms the national interest.

Accordingly, we call on the workers to retrace their steps in the direction of bringing normalcy to our port for the sake of the people themselves. We strongly urge our working public and their trade unions to seriously consider the advisability of trade union action of any kind which destabilizes public life and dangerously undermines the country’s economy.

A gravely undermined economy would only compound the hardships and misery of the people. Therefore, mindless trade union action which mars very badly the people’s prospects of progress must be avoided.

Trade unions also need to focus very much beyond narrow political interests. As is already known, the IMF has assessed our economy very positively.

Colombo Port could very well emerge a roaring import-export hub of South Asia. Allowed to develop further, the Colombo Port could play a seminal role in the country’s development. Why, then work against our interests?

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