Trade unions and the public interest

THE Government's decision to revoke regulations invoked under clause 5 of the Public Security Act, which rendered several public services as essential, has helped defuse possible trade union unrest and brought greater understanding between the State and the working population.

We hope that the degree of cordiality which has been established between the parties would place their relations on a prolonged, amicable footing and result in long-standing industrial peace and worker contentment. In this situation, the State has acted with considerable forethought and sensitivity.

To begin with, if the Government had gone ahead with the Essential Services orders, disregarding trade union objections, the State would have been criticized as being labour unfriendly and authoritarian in outlook.

It could have been accused of acting with the proverbial Iron Fist. Besides, the State could have been projected as being insensitive to the basic needs of the public.

Accordingly, the Government has acted right by effecting the relevant revocations. In the short-term it has defused a possible confrontational situation. In the medium and long-terms the State has set the stage for cordial government-worker relations and a degree of industrial peace.

An atmosphere of calm and contentment in the country would make everyone in Sri Lanka a winner. The State could take the credit for laying the basis for such a happy state of affairs. However, the Government's good intentions should be readily reciprocated by the relevant trade unions.

Continued industrial peace needs to be predicated on the foresight, not only on the part of the Government but also on that of the working people and their trade union representatives. The trade unions need to act from now, with the greatest sense of responsibility. They cannot launch wild cat strikes, for example, without, first, seeking to resolve their problems through discussions with the State.

Besides, trade unions need to act with forbearance and patience. They certainly cannot take precipitate strike action without discussing their grievances with the State. Even so, they need to consider whether their demands are just. They also need to ponder deeply on the consequences of their action. Would such action bring suffering and hardships on the people, for example?

Therefore, the days ahead could be regarded as a period of test for these trade unions. We hope, they would meet the test easily.

These reflections are forced on us by the disturbing memories of recent wild cat strikes which brought untold suffering on the people. Strikes in the health, power and transport sectors, for example, always grievously hurt the ordinary people of this country. Besides, some trade unions have not always been reasonable and discreet. Not all trade unions have weighed the consequences of their actions before striking.

The people and the people only, have suffered incalculably in these strikes. Therefore, the trade union community needs to act with a high sense of responsibility from now on. It must be also considered that the country's economy would suffer gravely as a result of these strikes.

The recent "go slow" at the Colombo Port is a case in point. Millions were lost by Sri Lanka as a result of the strike. Therefore, we call for a positive approach on the part of trade unions in these matters. Work constructively with the Government - we urge them.

The United Nations Human Rights Council - a new beginning?

The United Nations General Assembly, on March 15, 2006, decided to replace the existing Human Rights Commission with a new Human Rights Council, which is responsible for promoting universal respect for the protection of human rights and fundamental human rights for every citizen of the globe fairly and equally without any distinction of any kind.

Full Story

President assures a political solution under one flag in a united country and power sharing with Tamils

In an interview with Tamil Osai, BBC Tamil Services, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said there will be a political solution under one flag in a united country with sharing of powers with the Tamils of Sri Lanka.

Full Story

S. W. R. D. - in perspective

Yet others believed SWRD between 1948-1952 - being a part of the pukka sahib establishment is unlikely to resort to the sacrosanct factor of raising the communal bogey purely to come to power. The rest is now history.

Full Story

English: has the argument to go on?

New school teachers entering the Government schools system would also be trained. It was expected that the cost of training would be borne out of foreign aid funds made available under the 'Education for All' programme and other foreign-funded programmes of the Ministry of Education.

Full Story