CEB unions call off strike

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) trade unions yesterday decided to suspend their trade union action scheduled for today following an agreement reached with Power and Energy Minister W.D.J.Seneviratne at a meeting.

During this meeting the Minister pledged to provide fair solutions to the trade union leaders' demands. The Minister also agreed to appoint a committee to review the salary anomalies of the CEB employees and take steps to remove such anomalies with effect from 01-01-2008 following the recommendations made by the committee, a media release issued by the Power and Energy Ministry said yesterday.

It was also decided to implement the final recommendations of the committee with effect from 01-01-2008 to rectify the anomaly created on the issue of five increments of the CEB employees.

Since the Salaries and Cadres Committee has agreed to add the Rs. 1,200 allowance to the CEB employees to their basic salary, the Minister will seek the Cabinet approval to immediately implement this recommendation.

Seneviratne during the discussion requested all trade union leaders to extend their fullest cooperation to conduct the functions of the national electricity network in an efficient manner without allowing the CEB to collapse. Having considered the situation, trade union leaders agreed to cancel their trade union action which had been planned for today.