May Day messages

The lifeblood of a nation is its working force - Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake

COLOMBO: I wish to convey my warmest greetings to the working class of this country on the historic May Day.

The lifeblood of a nation is its working force, every Governments responsibility and duty is to protect them, uphold their rights and give them the necessary facilities. As a political party since 1956 the SLFP has always championed the cause of the working class.

Today the Government has taken steps to increase salaries in both Government and private sectors. But it is unfortunate to hear that some companies are abusing workers rights and also denying them of a proper salary.

As a responsible Government we already have launched investigations into such malpractice and would take action without any bias.

It is very significant to note that the May Day coincides with the Vesak festival this year, even in Buddha’s preaching it says that treating your employees fairly is a good deed, which brings satisfaction both in this life and beyond.

It is my firm belief that the working class should have a good understanding about the present terrorist problem we are facing. In a crisis like this they should be aware of their responsibilities.

It is of utmost importance to give their unstinted support and contribution in protecting the sovereignty of the nation. It is the responsibility and the duty of the Unions to make the working class aware of these facts.

It is my fervent hope that the working class of this country would come forward as one to contribute towards peace and development of the country at this historical juncture.

A day of great significance to our workers - Labour Relations and Manpower Minister Athauda Seneviratne

COLOMBO: Workers Day is of great significance to working class in Sri Lanka. Implementing the proposals found in the Mahinda Chintana, we have taken steps to improve the quality of life of our people.

We have opened avenues to increase one’s income to live a better life. It is our hope to provide opportunities to our working class to live a dignified life.

Labour Relations and Human Resource Minister Athauda Seneviratne, issuing a message to mark the Workers Day said that the Government responding to the views expressed by several labour organisations decided to hold Workers Day today.

This year Vesak celebration, the high point of our Sinhala and religious culture has fallen on May 1 which date for years have been used to mark the universal Workers Day or May Day. Hence, this year, Sri Lanka will mark the Workers Day today, the message said.

It is not correct and proper to go in procession shouting slogans as a day like the Vesak Day, on which day we usually hold May Day giving due consideration to divergent views expressed on the day to hold the Workers Day, I recommended that we mark Workers Day - April 30, we also let the trade unions decide for an appropriate date for them to mark the Workers Day.

Government and political parties forming the administration decided on April 30 to mark the Workers Day. We will thus hold our Workers Day celebration at Colombo Municipal Grounds at 3.00 p.m., the Minister said.

An agreement, basis for constitution for united Sri Lanka - Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana

COLOMBO: May Day this year falls on “Vesak Day” and it is therefore being celebrated a day earlier, on the 30th of April, at a critical juncture in the history of Sri Lanka.

May Day is traditionally associated with the call for the unity of the working class to fight for their rights, but today the need is for the unity of all the people of Sri Lanka to defeat racist efforts to divide our country.

The failure to resolve the national question and achieve a lasting peace has led to an escalation of violence bringing Sri Lanka to the brink of a war that can have catastrophic effects. The coincidence of Vesak with May Day therefore reinforces the message of unity and peace.

By establishing the All Party Conference (APC), which includes the two major political parties - the SLFP and the UNP, the President has set going a process that could result in a consensus document being developed as the basis for a solution of the national question through a negotiated settlement with the LTTE. This agreement would be the basis of a future Constitution of a single united Sri Lanka.

The All Party Representatives Committee (APRC), which has been mandated to draw up the consensus document for the APC, is at the stage of receiving written amendments to the document submitted by its Chairman, after which discussions will take place to reach a consensus.

Once all the amendments are received the APRC will meet to produce a final consensus document within a period of two months. This will then be presented to the APC.

Such a consensus document will help to breakdown the main argument that the LTTE has been advancing for not working out a solution to the national question with any government in power.

All those who profit from a war, the warmongers led by the armaments industry, together with racists, both Tamil and Sinhala, are opposed to the APRC/APC process which alone guarantees a lasting solution to this problem.

The main task confronting the working class today, led by the Trade Unions, and also the people of Sri Lanka, led by progressive political parties, is to defend the APRC/APC process against the attacks from the warmongers and the racists, and to ensure its proper conclusion through a successful peace process and a new Constitution.

The Trade Unions have to make full use of the Advisory Councils set up in government institutions to minimise corruption and improve their efficiency and provide a better service for the community.

The salary reforms are being delayed and they should be expedited and properly carried out. The salary increases given to the government sector should also be implemented in the private sector.

Working class should support President’s goal of peace - PA General Secretary Plantation and Industries Minister D. M. Jayaratne

COLOMBO: May Day is a very significant day for the Sri Lankan working class who love democracy and peace.

Since May Day this year coincides with Vesak Poya Day, it will be prudent and timely to celebrate it in an environment of peaceful co-existence giving pride of place to religious observances, said PA General Secretary and Plantation Industries Minister D. M. Jayaratne in May Day message issued yesterday.

The message said: May Day has taken varied forms depending on time and place. The original class struggle basis for example had now taken a different turn because the nature and the aspirations of the working class too had changed with passage of time.

The biggest challenge before our people today is to usher in lasting peace. All other problems are secondary, because most of them have resulted with the breach of peace.

The SLFP occupied a significant place when one talked about working class rights.

Governments formed by the SLFP in league with progressive left parties have always worked to upgrade and stabilise working class rights. We should also recall that President Mahinda Rajapaksa too had rendered vital service to the working class during his tenure as Labour Minister.

Since the President had pledged to bring about a lasting solution to the national problem in a manner acceptable to all, the working class should render their unstinted co-operation towards him in achieving that goal.

Workers should remember pioneers of labour movement - CWC President, General Secretary and Minister Arumugan Thondaman

COLOMBO: May Day 2007 this time falls on the Vesak Day, the most important event in the Buddhist Calendar. Equally the 1st of May is the most important day in the life of the working people in Sri Lanka as well as all other countries in the world.

In deference to the Vesak Day which marks Lord Buddha’s Birth, Enlightment and Parinibbana the membership of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress will celebrate both events simultaneously in that all Branch Committees of the Organisation will observe May Day by attending religious ceremonies in their respective plantations.

The overwhelming majority of organised labour have opted to commemorate May Day on the 30th of April 2007 but have been given the option to commemorate May Day according to their individual convictions.

May Day, however, is the time that workers remember the pioneers of the labour movement whose tireless endeavours have not only made May Day the pinnacle of their aspirations for a better life, social justice, peace and prosperity everywhere but has also become the rallying point for Trade Union and worker solidarity.

The Trade Union Movement has also kept pace with changing patterns of management practices in the globalisation scenario. Accordingly Global Trade Union organisations such as the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICTU) has developed measures to meet the challenges thrown up by globalisation head on.

Thus the accent on the decent work agenda, gender parity and the more equitable distribution of wealth.

The Ceylon Workers’ Congress as an affiliate of the ICTU has continued to act as a buffer between management strategies and the interests of its membership.

Thus increased wage rates and social benefits have been delivered through Collective Agreements and successful political campaigns mounted to uplift the human personality of particularly the plantation workers, who are gradually emerging from their ostracisation into the mainstream of national life.

May Day is time for workers all over to rededicate themselves to the ideals of Trade Union unity and Union loyalty and the reference of Leaders like the late Savumiamoorthy Thondaman who liberated the plantation workers out of their conditions of virtual bondage.

Leader’s vision has given strength to workers - United May Day Committee President Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma

COLOMBO: At this moment when we commemorate the historic May Day, the country is afflicted with the North-East ethnic conflict.

May Day is the most appropriate moment for us to make an effort to foster the national economy in terms of the provisions of Mahinda Chintanaya, deliver the Tamil politics from armed threats and transform the Sri Lankan society into a healthy one again, specially at a time when the country is moving towards the correct destination under the helsmanship of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The vision of a leader who disowns the privatisation of public property has forged a new strength in the working class to accept any challenge.

Hundreds of thousands of members of the working class will certainly do their utmost on this day to acknowledge the sacrifices made by the President in fulfilling their aspirations.

On this day we, as members of the working class should make a start to have a discourse with the government to resolve their outstanding problems.

To the trade union militants of the People’s Alliance who throng into the Town Hall grounds, under the theme, ‘Labour for the country and march forward together’, we offer our warm congratulations and also extend our feelings of brotherhood to our counterparts in their countries.

Workers must support peace through political solution - General Secretary CPSL and Constitutional Affairs Minister D. E. W. Gunasekera

COLOMBO: May Day this year has to be celebrated in the face of imperialism and the new liberal crisis when massive manslaughter is taking place in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia suppressing the sovereignty and independence of their people, said Communist Party of Sri Lanka, General Secretary and Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister D. E. W. Gunasekera in a May Day message.

The message said: On the other hand May Day is celebrated at a time imperialism is subjecting people in the Third World with great pressure imposing the burdens of the liberal crisis on them.

The working class in Sri Lanka while shouldering these burdens is stepping into the 25th year of a war hemmed in between northern separatism and southern communalism.

Therefore, finding a political solution to the national problem has occupied the forefront of the political agenda.

Therefore, it is essential for the working class to express their desire and commitment for the struggle to bring lasting peace through a political solution on this May Day.

Inflation, escalation of prices of goods, draining out of Government resources political insecurity, degradation of moral values and escalation of crime’ are all due to the national crisis.

The victories gained by Latin America under the leadership of Cuba to overcome new liberalism is a pride to the entire working class. Capitalist theoreticians have been dumbfounded in the face of emerging developments in the world the people awakening.

Sri Lankan communists extend their solidarity, warm fraternal greetings to workers throughout the world on International Labour Day.

Fight for rights and be conscious of duties - Leader UNP Democratic Group, Minister Karu Jayasuriya

COLOMBO: Today is the workers day. Even after lapse of almost 120 years since the Chicago incident significance of this date has not diminished.

On the contrary world over the workers in unity celebrate the event, with a sense of purpose and deep commitment. It is on this day that the workers gather strength, to reflect on their past, present and the future and to take stock of the developments, and also to renew their mission.

Ours is a country, which has a very vibrant, dynamic workforce, whose contribution remains vital to the nation’s progress. Being an economy based on labour intensive industry and service sector, a productive and a contended labour force is an absolute essentiality for the progress of the country.

Since independence successive Governments have tried their best to institutionalise a legal framework conducive for creating a productive as well as a contended labour force.

However the emerging scenarios of a globalised economy is posing ever increasing challenges to the policy-makers as to how to maintain an optimum balance between worker welfare and the need to capture substantial market share for our products and service in a competitive world market.

These I believe are the complex issues that need to be addressed cautiously, with a sense of understanding by all of us on the basis of give and take policy in the interest of the nation.

While we fight for our rights we also should be conscious of our duties and responsibilities towards the nation. As we know currently the country is going thorough a difficult period.

We are facing the worst form of terrorism, whose target is to destroy our economy and politically destabilize us. Our gallant soldiers are making a supreme sacrifice to combat terrorism and protect our territorial boundaries.

The success of our nation will be gauged by the future generation on our collective ability to face this challenge and to overcome this difficult period.

In such a situation I believe that the work force of this country is also vested with a great responsibility in protecting the economy and the country at large.

Development thro’ industrial peace - Convener, Joint Trade Union Federation,Secretary, United May Day Committee, Governor/WP S. Alavi Moulana

COLOMBO: The historic struggle of the working class demanding an 8-hour-day launched in Chicago in 1886 formed the basis for the May Day victory in Sri Lanka.

The working people’s struggle against exploitation of labour began to spread its tentacles all over the world.

The late S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike made the May Day a public holiday and by now we have got the authorities to introduce various laws to the statute books guaranteeing the rights of the working class.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who works in close harmony with the trade unions was able to minimise the number of strikes and grant the rights of the working people by holding discussions with trade union officials quarterly and eliminate salary anomalies.

We appreciate the fact that despite the impact on the economy from the ethnic conflict the President has taken action to grant salary increase to the working class. The May Day is celebrated under the theme, ‘Labour for the country and march forward together’.

I wish the working class be blessed with the necessary strength, courage and determination to reach development through industrial peace.