Enjoining orders issued on port unions

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Colombo District Court Judge Aruna C. Ranasinghe yesterday issued two enjoining orders preventing 10 Trade Unions of Sri Lanka Ports Authority including Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, from threatening and intimidating employees who had reported for employment at the Port of Colombo and preventing the Trade Unions and its members from engaging in a Go-slow or working at less than normal capacity reducing the productivity of the Port of Colombo.

The Plaintiff, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority cited 10 Trade Unions of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority including Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya, Jathika Vurthiya Samithi Sangamaya, Sri Lanka Waraya Adikariye Karmika Niladaringe Sangamaya, Samastha Lanka Waraya Podu Sewaka Sangamaya and Samudriya Nilandaringe Sangamaya.

The plaintiff filing its plaint through Sudath Perera Associates stated that the Port of Colombo owned by the plaintiff was a hub port in the South Asian Region and approximately 3,000 ships dock there yearly.

The Port of Plaintiff stated it received a letter on March 9, 2006 signed by the 2nd, 3rd and 5th to the 10th defendants requesting for a discussion to discuss about an increase of the basic salary by Rs 3,000 and a special port allowance based on the cost of living index, a payment of Rs 3.50 per unit.

The plaintiff stated after a meeting that the employees were given a 40 per cent increase with a minimum increase of Rs 3,250 to Rs 9,000. The Special port allowance was increased by 2.50 per unit that could be paid in keeping with the Budget Proposal.

The Plaintiff further stated that the employees of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority are highly paid in comparison to other State corporations or statutory bodies as the basic salary of the lowest scale-an unskilled labourer or a new recruit receives Rs 19,825.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority stated that from July 13, 2006 the defendant trade unions in the guise of work to rule has carried out acts of sabotage. They also have threatened and intimidated employees who had reported for duty.

The Sri Lanka Ports Authority stated that the aforesaid illegal acts of the trade unions have resulted in a total loss of revenue amounting to approximately Rs 30 million a day and in addition has resulted in the deterioration in confidence of vessel operators using the Port of Colombo as a Hub Port.

The Court issued notice on the defendants to appear before the Court on July 25.