More TUs keep away from strike: Essential services to run smoothly

Shirley Wijesinghe and Chaminda Perera

COLOMBO: The Government has ensured the smooth functioning of all essential services today, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said yesterday.

He said all SLTB bus and train services will run on schedule. Private bus operators earlier said they would not be joining today’s UNP-JVP led strike.

The Government Medical Officers Association and the main Nurses Union have also stated that they would not be supporting the strike. Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne told Parliament yesterday that Ceylon Electricity Board employees would not take part in today’s JVP-UNP led strike.

The UNP and the other parties in the Opposition are raising issues to strengthen the strike but not to solve any problems facing the country, the Minister said.

Education sources said the main principals’ and teachers’ unions would not be participating in the strike. A number of port unions have stated they would not be joining the TU action.

Chief Government whip Minister Dinesh Gunawardane yesterday told Parliament that the JVP which voted in favour to extend the emergency regulations is attempting to disrupt the country by calling a political strike.

“This is a political strike and it will be unsuccessful. Therefore this is not a trade union action of country’s working class. This is a trade union action organised to gain narrow objectives of some political leaders”.

The Minister was responding to a question raised by JVP Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The CID is investigating the links maintained by the JVP with the LTTE, the Minister said.

The Minister said this strike has been called to destabilise the Government.

Meanwhile, many more unions joined the non-strikers’ camp. Eight Trade Unions including Public Health Field Officers’ Union and the Civil Joint Council yesterday confirmed their anti-strike stand on the strike called by UNP and the JVP today.

Letters addressed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa by heads of eight Trade Unions heads informed their stand and pledged their support to his leadership.

General Secretary of Public Health Field Officers Union Premadasa Gajanayake said they had a real experience of the war situation in the country as Field Officers specially in terrorist affected villages.

“No solution is possible for the present economic crisis without ending the war. We could keep trust in the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The required salary increment will be implemented by him after the return of peace,” Gajanayake added.

A.D. Dharmadasa, President of the Civil Trade Union Council (Three Forces) said the strike was clearly organised by the politically backward parties specially the UNP and the JVP. All of us should get together and give fullest support to eliminate terrorism from our Motherland.

Dharmadasa also said that a vast amount of money is being spent on public security by the Government in addition to the war expenditure.

“The people are ready to tolerate any situation till the war is ended even with more financial hardships.”

Meanwhile, Fourteen Trade Unions in the plantation sector have assured Plantation Industries Minister D.M. Jayaratne that they would not join the proposed strike today.

The trade union representatives at a meeting with the Minister on Tuesday said that they would not take part in today’s strike as President Mahinda Rajapaksa has given them an assurance that he would directly be involve in the settlement of employees’ problems in the plantation sector.

“The Minister under the directive of the President has already focused on how the plantation sector salary anomalies are rectified. The Minister has already taken number of steps to sort out employees’ problems,” the trade union representatives said.

“The motive behind this strike is political and it has nothing to do with employees. The country is at an important crossroads and we should do today is to strengthen the president’s hands to wipe out terrorism from the country,” they said.

Only the shortsighted will resort to strikes - Prelate

Asela Kuruluwansa

Only shortsighted people keen on destabilising the country will resort to strikes at a moment like this when the Nation has reached a vital crossroads in totally defeating terrorism, Ven. Niyangoda Vijithsiri Anunayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter said.

The Prelate said the current economic crisis was a world phenomenon which was not restricted to Sri Lanka.

“Therefore we should act intelligently without allowing emotional concerns to overtake them.

This was a time the Nation called for some sort of sacrifices from all including Security Forces, politicians, employers, employees and the members of the clergy.” Therefore he said, he would call upon all groups and communities to join hands to make a united effort to salvage the country from the present crisis without resorting to strikes and other acts of sabotage.